Untitled Crossover
by zyxw
Summary: I couldn't think of a title and I'm not even sure where I'm going with this. Jake/Mione pairing set during the war. That's all I got for now...
1. Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NEITHER TWILIGHT OR HARRY POTTER

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><p>Harry's steps faltered under the weight of the bleeding woman in his arms. He didn't exactly know where he was going but he knew that he had to get there. He tried apparating straight to the address but he hit some sort of wall—an invisible force field and they were thrown backward.<p>

Hermione didn't feel it. For that one second he was happy that his best friend had already passed out from blood loss. He wasn't sure if this was a trap yet but it was his last hope. He heard the voice, the voice of someone who had never steered him wrong before, and he knew in that instant that he had no other option.

He and Hermione had made a pact after Ron left them alone in the woods. They would kill Voldemort and end this war or die trying, possibly both. But the one thing that mattered most was that if they failed, they failed big. They had to fail in a way that people would know about, a way that would give the Order and the DA hope. It had to be an epic fail. If this was a trap then hopefully they would succeed in one of their tasks. As a tear rolled down his cheek he knew that it could possibly be all three.

A trap would mean that they would both die. Die trying to kill Voldemort and save their friends. However he didn't know that it would give anyone hope. That all depended on what the Death Eaters would tell people about the deaths. Lies, he knew. But the thing that scared him most was the knowledge that if they died today, he would have carried Hermione to her death. She didn't have a chance to turn and run from him as Ron had, though he knew deep inside she never would.

Finally he was at the point where he'd been thrown. He laid his friend's limp form on the side of the gravel road in case he was thrown again, to prevent her from being in any more pain. But he wasn't thrown backward this time. He felt an icy sensation then warmth as he crossed the wall. He turned back through the cold, picked Hermione up bridal style and limped back through.

He listened to the leaves rustle in the thick forest surrounding them and he didn't care anymore if he met his end. No, he'd never kiss Ginny again or fly his broomstick. He'd never where his cloak and sneak around with the twins playing pranks or play exploding snaps with Neville. He'd even miss Luna's insane stories and bizarre behavior. But he'd be with his mum and dad. He'd get to hug Sirius again and speak face to face with Dumbledore about his adventure. And soon after his own demise he was sure Hermione would join him. If not before. He was sure of it now. Voldemort had set a trap for him. He'd gotten inside his head using the voice of one of three people Harry trusted with his whole being. And now they were both going to die because of it.

The rustling sounds got closer as his best friend's blood continued to soak his shirt, finally starting to chill as it spent less time inside the nurturing warmth of a living human body.

"BLOODY WELL GET ON WITH IT THEN!" Harry shouted. "IF YOU WANT TO BLOODY KILL ME DO IT ALREADY! IF SHE DIES I HAVE NO ONE LEFT ANYWAY! KILL ME!"

A firm hand grasped his shoulder and he knew it was the end. Spinning he came face to face with a very muscular but very young looking teen. He was wearing cut off jeans and no shirt. His face still had remnants of baby fat and his almost black eyes widened when he saw Harry's burden.

"Shit, man, what the hell happened to her?"

Harry was sure he was young now by the voice. He could only cry. The Death Eaters recruited them so young, without a chance to experience life. He actually felt for the kid.

"SAM!" the boy yelled now. "SAM! SOMEONE'S HURT!"

A man who looked very similar to the boy came jogging from the woods now. They were dressed the same but this Sam was obviously older. His eyes, too, widened at the sight. "Who are you looking for?" Sam asked as he touched the girl's wrist. He let out a small sigh of relief before dropping her hand and applying slight pressure to the bleeding slit in her throat.

Now or never, Harry thought before taking a deep breath and answering, "Billy Black."

Harry hadn't noticed the teen disappear in the trees again. He was sitting on the ground now, crying and still cradling his injured friend as the muscular man kneeled in front of him with his hand still on Hermione's throat. Harry didn't notice anything actually as he rocked back and forth cradling his friend and repeating how sorry he was and that they'd be together soon.

Thoughts rushed through Sam's mind. Who were these people? Why was this guy screaming for someone to kill them? How had this girl gotten hurt? Did the guy do it? Is that why he was apologizing? Is that why he was pleading with the girl not to wake up and saying he'd join her soon? Was he going to kill himself? How did he know Billy?

An old pick up came speeding down the road and screeched to a stop just in front of them. The stranger didn't even seem to notice he was so caught up in his own grief.

"Come on," Sam ordered. "We're taking you to Billy. We'll get you some help."

The stranger looked up at him but didn't move.

"Now," Sam ordered again. What the hell was wrong with this guy?

Harry stood and followed Sam to the truck. He struggled to lift himself into the bed of the truck with Hermione in his arms but Sam finally helped him along when he realized that Harry wouldn't release his precious cargo. He hoped someone had already called Billy to warn him as they sped through the back roads of the reservation, honking the horn of the old pick up as Paul drove to warn the tribe to get out of the way.

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><p>an: Yet another cross-over for me. Please review! :)


	2. Chapter 2

Billy heard the commotion from miles away. He was sitting on his front porch waiting for his long time friend Charlie to pick him up to go fishing. He hadn't even heard his phone ringing. It wasn't Charlie that sent dust and gravel flying in his driveway, however. He recognized that truck. He'd come to dread it. Billy loved the tribe. He loved the pack. He'd come to resent Paul since the boy had imprinted on his daughter just last year, though. Paul was a good guy, he knew. He'd be a good provider. He'd never hurt her. He wasn't capable of hurting her. But he was always around! Always!

Billy knew something was wrong, however, when Sam jumped from the bed of the truck without even waiting for it to stop. He watched in amazement as the pack's beta forcefully took a small, curly-headed brunette out of the truck behind him. If he were to really think about it he'd consider the possibility that she wasn't actually that small, he thought vaguely, maybe only slightly smaller than most. But Sam was large and she seemed even smaller by comparison. Most did. She was limp and covered in blood that seemed to be seeping from her neck. He groaned. Another attack probably but why the hell were they bringing her here.

"NO!" someone yelled.

It caught Billy's attention right away. That accent. That voice. He knew it but he'd known it so many years ago. It was like another life really. Images flashed in his mind of cliff diving with his cousin, Sirius, and the three friends he brought to visit every summer of Billy's high school life. It wasn't Sirius, he knew. Sirius was dead. He'd received notification from Remus years earlier. It hadn't even sounded like Sirius. It sounded like… "James?" Billy questioned as the owner of the voice attempted to fight out of the grasp of Seth Clearwater, Embry Call, Jared Cameron, and Quil Ateara.

He was doing surprisingly well actually as he continued to scream, "KILL ME INSTEAD! IT WASN'T HER FAULT! I MADE HER COME!"

"Harry," Billy knew now. The seriousness of the situation snapped him back to the present. Sirius was dead. James was dead. Peter was a traitor. Remus was in hiding. James's son, Harry, was fighting a war in their world, the world that the Quileutes had abandoned centuries earlier because they would never be seen as full members of society. They were merely shape shifters. The younger tribe members didn't even know that part of their history anymore.

"You know this guy?" Sam questioned as he made his way to the porch.

"I was friends with his father many years ago," Billy answered as he pushed the door open. "Put her on the cot in Jake's room. I'll call Dr. Cullen."

"The Cullens can't-"

"You need to trust me on this, Sam," Billy cut him off. "She need's Cullen. It's a special condition."

Sam only nodded. He wasn't allowed to cross the elders, especially Billy. He knew that if the tribe still had chiefs Billy would be it. It was his bloodline after all. "I think he did it to her," Sam said motioning with his head out the window.

"No," Billy replied. "Not possible."

* * *

><p>Hours later Dr. Cullen exited Jake's bedroom, holding the door for Jared to enter. The pack still wasn't sure about the boy Billy called Harry. "I did a transfusion," he explained as he rubbed his temples. "She's stable but I'd like to take her to my house to keep a better eye on her."<p>

"We're not sending a sick human into a house full of leaches," Seth replied but was immediately silenced by Billy.

"She has to stay here. Harry too. It's for their own safety. It's a special kind of magic. He only would've known to come here if he needed protection," Billy explained as the pack stared at him confused. "How is he?"

"He keeps whispering some spell. The same one over and over. It's all he says. I asked him to tell me what happened and what the spell means but he won't say anything else."

"What's he saying?" Billy asked.

"Renervate," Carlisle shrugged.

Billy nodded. "He's trying to wake her up."

Carlisle gave a sad nod.

"What about the word carved into her arm?" Sam asked.

"It means she's not born of magical blood," Billy and Carlisle explained at the same time.

Everyone continued to stare.

"I'll explain tomorrow," Billy told them. "For now, it's late and you should all be leaving."

Carlisle was the first to move toward the door. "I'll be back first thing in the morning if you'll allow it?" he directed at both Sam and Billy.

They nodded.

"I don't think it's safe to leave her here with him," Sam cautioned.

"I assure you she'll be safe but if it will ease your mind you can leave someone here," Billy sighed, exhausted, his plans of a leisurely afternoon fishing ruined hours earlier.

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><p>Jake was exhausted as he stumbled into the house. Bella, his best friend and the woman he truly believed to be his one true love, had gotten married five days earlier to Edward Cullen, a vampire and therefore sworn enemy of Jake's. He phased as he watched their car drive away. Edward had bought them some remote castle to live in in the wilderness of some random European country Jake had never even heard of. Maybe he would've had some idea of where it was if he ever paid attention in class but he didn't and Bella was gone. Jake wolfed out and ran all the way to Vermont and back. Now he was home and he felt so alone and empty he considered leaving all over again. First he would rest though.<p>

His eyes were closed as he made his way toward his room. He thought he heard whispers but passed it off as sleep deprivation. He opened the door, kicked something hard that he didn't recall leaving in the middle of the floor and tripped, falling to the ground with a loud thud.

"Lumos!" he heard someone cry, alert, even scared and the lights burst on.

He'd tripped over Quil who was now glaring at him and rubbing his side.

"What the hell man?" Quil yelled.

"What the hell?" Jake countered. "What the hell are you doing sleeping on my floor?" He turned to see a stick pointed in his face.

"It's okay, Harry," Quil told the boy. "This is his room. This is Billy's son, Jake."

Harry sat and pointed his stick toward the bed. Jake followed with his eyes, still unsure if any of this was actually happening. Someone else. She was pretty. Pale, sure. Injured, obviously. Her small frame was asleep in the cot that Embry used as a child when there were problems at home.

But mostly Jake was angry. He'd had a long week, hell, a long six months and all he wanted to do was wallow in self-pity, alone in his room until sweet unconsciousness took over finally. But no. His best friend and two strangers were currently occupying his room for some unknown reason.

"Leave," Jake ordered Quil.

"Sam told me to stay man. This whole big mess happened just this afternoon and-"

"Who's alpha of this pack?" Jake cut him off.

"You are dude, but-"

"And I'm telling you to get out of my room and go home. I'm tired and I want to sleep."

The squeaking of Billy's wheelchair alerted them to his presence and they both turned toward the door.

"I'm gone five days and you give my room up to transients?" Jake asked through a yawn.

"They need help and I didn't know when you'd be home," Billy explained easily.

"Help like what? Since when are you the bleeding heart type?"

"Maybe since she showed up with a bleeding neck," Quil answered in a defiant tone.

Billy motioned for his son to join him in the other room. "I understand that you are hurt because of Bella's marriage but that's no excuse to disrespect me," he reprimanded. "Harry is not a transient. He is family!"

"Family?" Jake questioned.

"He is the godson of my cousin, Sirius," Billy explained further and understanding seemed to dawn on his son. "His friend is hurt and they both need our help right now. You can still stay in your bed but she will be in your room until Dr. Cullen sees it fit to move her."

"I'll be in the garage," Jake huffed, turning toward his room. "Quil, toss me my sleeping bag and I guess do whatever Sam told you to do.

The sleeping bag flew out the door. "Night, Dad," Jake told him. "And sorry for earlier."

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><p>an: Review! I'm working on finishing Secrets Left Behind so that I can stop feeling like a horrible flake for starting and not ending like 7 stories at once. If you haven't read it please do. Just a few chapters left & it's a pretty good story!


	3. Chapter 3

"You're back?" Seth called excitedly across the yard when the pack arrived the next morning to see Jake tinkering with his motorcycle. They were worried for their friend and Alpha especially after the wedding last week when he'd phased and disappeared. Sam attempted to follow when the Clearwaters gave him the news but it was too late. Jake was already so far away that their telepathic link had been cut. No one knew where he'd been and when or if he'd return.

A flashy, what the tribe only ever described as Cullen, car pulled into the drive way. Lights were turning on inside the house now as well, as the sun began to rise. Other members of the tribe were pulling up in their old cars and trucks, also; mostly elders and Sue Clearwater, coming to try herbal treatments and old remedies on the girl.

"And what a great welcome," Jake replied sarcastically, still in a miserable mood from the night before. "Strangers in my room, Quil on my floor and the father of the man who just took Bella from me pulling into my driveway."

"You weren't here yesterday, dude," Seth soothed. "That girl's bad off. There was so much blood. We needed Cullen and your dad said they couldn't leave the res. That they needed to be here for their own protection.

Billy greeted them as they entered. They could smell coffee brewing.

"How's our patient?" the good doctor asked as he enter.

"Still unconscious," Billy replied gravely.

From the vampires expression that was no surprise. "What about her friend?"

"Hasn't left her side."

"Spoken yet?"

"Not a word other than that spell and it's still not working."

It was hours later and Dr. Cullen had left, returned, and left again. Harry, Sirius's godson, hadn't left Hermione's side for a moment, still crying and muttering words that no one seemed to understand. The pack had mostly dispersed now. Jake ordered a few to stay behind when Sam shared his concerns

Billy was currently trying to coax Harry away from him chair next to Hermione and into three things: the kitchen, the shower, and the living room couch.

"Your father wouldn't want you beating yourself up like this. You heard the doctor. She's going to be fine. We just need to wait for her to wake up and it might take a while. There's no use in making yourself sick as well."

"My father never would've led my mother into this much danger," Harry answered.

Billy held back a scoff. He'd heard stories. He'd even met Lily the summer that they all turned seventeen. James wouldn't have been able to stop her if he'd tried. "I doubt your father would've had any say in it if your mother had already set her mind on it," Billy responded. "I'm sure your girlfriend came along willingly."

"Best friend," Harry corrected, speaking the first decipherable words since he'd arrived yesterday. "She might be the only friend I have left," Harry continued through his sobs, "and if she dies it's all my fault. How could I have trusted him? He was always so jealous of us! Jealous of my fame and money and of her brains and natural talent! He's abandoned us before you know? But I never thought…my father would know if one of his best friends was a traitor."

"But he didn't." It wasn't Billy, Jake or any pack member that responded this time. Billy spun on the spot and Jake sprang up from the bed, rounding on the new arrivals, relaxing slightly when he saw a very pregnant young woman and a slightly older, sickly looking, scarred man. "Hello, Harry," the man spoke again.

Harry sprang from his spot on the bed, thrust what Jake knew now to be a wand in the man's face and asked, "What were the circumstances of our first meeting?"

"I was sleeping in your compartment of the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of your third year," the man replied.

Harry pointed the wand at the woman.

She responded easily, without fear, "I was part of the guard that picked you up to go to Sirius's house before your fifth year."

Harry lowered his wand.

"Hello, cousin," the woman continued as Billy went to embrace her. "It's been far too long."

"Come with me, please, Harry," Remus commanded.

With a painful look over his shoulder, Harry followed the man out of the room and into the kitchen where they sat across from each other at a table.

"You are aware it isn't your fault?" Remus asked. "Ronald fooled us all. We told him all of our secrets. He knows all of the safe houses and Order members' names. Not even Dumbledore suspected it."

"But-"

"And all this you've been saying about your father," Remus continued, "Much of it is true, yes, but we both know that much of it isn't as well. You're father never suspected Peter, just as you never suspected Ron. In the end, you are so very much like him. Always wanting to believe the good in those around you, loyal to those you love to your very last breath, brave, honorable, true. You can't beat yourself up over this. Hermione will get better. She won't blame you. And we will continue to fight this war together."

Harry nodded and dropping the subject asked, "How'd you find this place?"

"I've been here many times before. Billy once told me that I could always return if I needed to. It seemed the best time as any when the Death Eaters arrived at our safe house."

"Ted and Andromeda?" Harry asked.

"Didn't make it out," Remus replied with tears in his eyes.


	4. Chapter 4

"So, there's this whole other world that we don't know about?" Paul questioned the next morning when the pack met at Billy's house.

Harry, Remus and Tonks had time to rest in order to join the meeting which took place in the front lawn. It was an average sized house. Some might even call it medium large with four bedrooms and two baths but for that number of tall, muscular men it was small. They held the meeting in front of Jake's open window so that Harry could stay with Hermione.

"Yes," Billy answered simply.

"With witches and wizards and real werewolves?" Quil asked.

Remus nodded.

"And the tribe used to be a part of it?" Jake asked.

"Not exactly part," Tonks replied. "Unless you're a full blooded wizard you're never truly a part of the wizarding world. You may know about it and participate in it but you're still mocked, even shunned. Hell, none of us are really part of it, especially now. That's what the war is all about."

"Our people don't have powers besides the shape shifting," Billy explained, "and even considering that it's only a select few and you can only take on one form. The Ministry didn't see fit to give us full rights in the magical world. So about two hundred years ago we left it."

"But you still managed to keep in contact with a cousin?" Sam questioned.

"Not exactly," Billy replied.

"My parents needed to hide," Tonks explained. "It was just after they graduated and they wanted to marry but my mum was a pure blood and my father was a muggle born, like 'Mione. Her parents would kill him if they found out. So one day she was in the family library trying to figure out a place to hide and marry in secret. She found the family history, the Blacks in the States…"

"And when I was about five or six they just showed up," Billy finished. "A few years later Sirius would visit as well. It was about that time that Tonks's parents went back to England. He needed them there as a sort of support system."

They were silent a long time.

"So what happens now?" Seth finally spoke. "Are we getting involved in this war you're telling us about?"

"If it comes to that, yes," Jake replied. "You'll be given a choice of course, but I'm fighting."

"You don't have to fight for us," Harry interjected. "We can't ask you to put yourselves in danger. It's our war."

"You're not asking and you wouldn't even have to," Jake corrected.

"It's our world too, right?" Sam agreed. "Doesn't that make this our war as well? I'm with you Jake."

"Me too," Seth agreed.

"I'm always down for a fight," Jared added.

"If Harry's a part of this family, that makes him a part of mine," Paul told them eliciting a groan from Billy. "I'm in."

One by one the rest of the pack agreed.

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><p>The next day nothing much had changed. Hermione was still lying unconscious in bed, Harry was still watching over her dutifully. Dr. Cullen was spending less and less time there as his patient improved and his own family was training to protect the town from any danger that might come their way. Remus and Tonks were training the pack in the type of battle they may be experiencing soon.<p>

The reservation was on lock down. Tribe members that lived off the reservation were being called home. Billy expected his twin daughters home this afternoon.

At the moment Jake was inside with his father keeping an eye on Hermione while Harry helped with training. Suddenly they heard a soft whimper and the rustle of sheets.

In a rush, Billy wheeled himself to the front porch and yelled that she was waking up. Harry dropped his wand arm and ran, followed closely by Remus. Tonks was taking up the rear, waddling slowly due to being nine months pregnant and refusing to rest as her husband and cousin had urged. The pack followed behind, wanting to meet her but knowing they might overwhelm her as well.

Harry reached the room first and was startled at the sight. Jake was kneeling next to the bed, staring at Hermione in a strange way. He barely seemed to be breathing.

She was beautiful. He'd thought she was pretty before but now Jake could see that she was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen. Her chestnut colored ringlets framed her face beautifully and the way the light was shining through the window made her look like an angel. Her eyes were a bright green and her nose turned up in the most adorable way at the end. She was looking back at him with fear in her own eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" he accused and he ran toward the bed and pulled Jake back. They'd moved her from the cot to Jake's queen bed the day before so she would be more comfortable. "Can't you see she's scared?"

"Give them some time," Billy suggested as Jake stood, still staring at Hermione.

Jake nodded and stepped back out of the room. Taking a chair from the kitchen he sat by the door but just out of sight.

"I'll call Cullen," Billy offered. Everyone else made themselves comfortable in the kitchen and living room.

Harry just stared at his friend, too afraid to touch her. He'd never noticed how small she was before—smaller than Ginny or Luna. And now she looked frail from their months on the run with little to eat and strenuous exercise daily. Her curls fell around her face and she was pale from the blood loss.

Her eyes opened and for a long moment she just stared back into his. He promised himself he'd be a much better friend to her from now on, the friend that she deserved.

She was sitting up now, facing him and still staring intently into his eyes. Then she did something he didn't expect. She threw her arms around his neck. Burying her face in his chest, she cried. All he could do was wrap his arms around her, stroke her back, lay his head atop hers and cry as well. His were tears of joy though he knew that hers were tears of sorrow.

After a full night of talking with Remus, Harry had come to accept Ron's betrayal. He couldn't forget it, he'd never forgive it and he wouldn't even try to understand it but he could accept it and move on for now. He knew there wasn't time to dwell. They had a war to fight and he had a friend, a real friend, to worry about.

Hermione however hadn't come to accept anything. This was her first moment of consciousness since Ron had sold them out in Malfoy Manor. She watched someone she loved like her own brother laugh as that vulgar word was carved into her arm. She didn't cry, didn't plead with him for help. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her hurting. So they cut her throat. It wasn't deep enough to slit any veins or arteries but it was deep enough to do some damage. He thanked Merlin she was still alive. Now she could let it out. All the hurt, the fear, the anger. She could grieve over the loss.

The house was so quiet that her sobs echoed through it. Mixed in with her sobs she would say things like "Why?" or "The others?" He kept repeating "I'm so sorry" as his own voice cracked. It hadn't really hit anyone in the pack until that moment what had happened. The normally loud, joyful, rambunctious werewolves wore frowns and looked anywhere but at each other. It was a sad and uncomfortable moment. They were observing two people as their worlds fell apart.

Jake looked as though his own heart was being ripped from his body. Everyone wanted to say something. To ask him if their new suspicions were correct but no one felt like it was the time.

* * *

><p>"What the hell's your deal?" Harry asked Jake later that night when he once again caught Jake staring at Hermione. She was sleeping this time however so it was a little less and a little more disturbing at the same time.<p>

"My deal?" Jake played stupid.

"Yes, your deal. Why won't leave her alone? Why are you always staring at her? What's wrong with you?"

"Is it bothering you?" Jake asked, trying not to show his frustration. He had to remember that Harry didn't know so couldn't understand.

Harry shook his head. "It makes me uncomfortable. 'Mione's had blokes hang around her before. I couldn't stand any of them. They gave me a bad feeling, you know? I get the feeling you're different though. So what is it?"

Jake didn't know how to respond. "I…er…I…"

"You have no chance with her without my approval," Harry warned, "so I suggest you spit it out."

"I think I love her," Jake finally answered. He waited for Harry to scoff but the wizard didn't respond at all so he continued. "You see, the pack, we have this way of knowing who our perfect mate is. It's called imprinting. Basically the first time we see the person we…well we don't fall in love per se but we develop very strong feelings for them. If there's a large age difference at the time we can be whatever they need—babysitter, friend, confidant—and build from there. But if they're close in age it usually manifests as love."

"But what's it mean?" Harry finally questioned.

"Basically I can't be happy without her. I'll be whatever she needs me to be but I'll always love her too. If she only needs a friend, I'll be that and only that no matter if I want more than that. It's kind of confusing, I know. We're not even really sure how it works. Sam thinks its fate's way of pairing us with the women best suited to bare our children." Harry's eyes widened. "I don't know how I feel about that but…"

"Does that mean I can count on you?" Harry asked. "To take care of her, I mean. I'm not going to leave her," he continued at Jake's pointed look. "If I left her here she'd just find me. But if we go to battle no matter where it is, you're following her?"

"The whole pack is."

"And if I can't be with her or we get separated or I get hurt or worse, you'll protect her, make sure she gets out of there? Take her back here and help her grieve and move on?"

"What are you planning?" Jake asked. He didn't like the sounds of this. It seemed like Harry was already planning his own death.

"I might have to die to end this," he answered matter-of-factly. "She knows. She researched it months ago. She doesn't know that I know though. She never told me but I saw her notes by accident one day while she was keeping watch. I don't know if she just doesn't want to believe it or if she's waiting till I'm ready but I might have to leave her and I don't want to leave her alone. I can count on you right?"

"Of course." They were silent a long while. "You really care about her don't you? I mean, you act like her husband or something."

Harry laughed. "She's the closest thing to family I have," he answered with a sad smile. "I was orphaned as a baby, grew up with my wretched aunt, uncle and cousin. Hermione and Ron were my first friends and now…well I used to feel the same way about Ron as I do about 'Mione. His whole family too. And now I don't know if I can trust any of them. I mean were they just fooled the same way we were or were they in on it?"

Jake didn't know how to answer.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione sat on the front porch the following morning. Jake's older sisters, Rachel and Rebecca, had arrived home from college late the night before and together made breakfast for the family, their guests, and Paul, Rachel's boyfriend and apparently a close friend of Jake's as he had been at the house most of the day before. Hermione ate very little, though everyone urged her to have more. She insisted toast with Nutella was just fine with her as she exited the small house to sit alone on the porch.

She sat ridged and barely nibbled her food. She was aware she was being watched. It was Jacob, she knew. He seemed to have a habit of doing that. Doting, too. He doted over her in a way that was both surprising and unnerving. He watched her most of the day yesterday. She first noticed it shortly after she woke up when the vampire doctor had come to check on her. She laughed softly to herself remembering Harry's surprise at learning that the man who'd so tenderly cleaned and nurtured her blood soaked and nearly lifeless body could have taken her life so easily. It hadn't even crossed his mind, he told her later, because he'd been so worried about her. It was dangerous, she knew, but it felt good to know that one person on this earth still cared for her.

Back to the point though, Harry had left the room when the doctor arrived and for some reason Jacob had taken his place. Then, later still she would catch him taking long glances into his room through the open door as she lay in bed, resting. She even woke up in the middle of the night to see him lying on the cot next to the bed, eyes wide open, staring at her.

She knew what he was, of course. She is the smartest witch of her age, after all. She knew what they all were and thanks to Remus she knew where they all were. She wasn't quite sure why or how, however. Harry had been very vague about the entire situation. He'd also taken her books and refused to allow her to train for the next week. It was completely frustrating.

*Flashback to the night before*

"What do you mean I can't train with you?" Hermione practically growled as she, Harry, Remus, Tonks, Billy, Jacob, Seth, Sue, Quil, and Embry sat in the living room eating dinner.

"Leah will like this one," she heard Sue whisper.

They had hoped that moving Hermione in front of the television would ease her restlessness a little. It didn't work. She was never that fond of television, only ever watching the evening news and the rare history channel special.

"I mean you can't train," Harry replied simply, standing his ground when lesser men would have caved. "You're weak from blood loss. Give it a week and see how you feel."

Hermione glared daggers at him. "And my books?" she asked through clenched teeth. "I suppose you have some bizarre reason for confiscating those as well?"

"Not bizarre at all," Harry answered. "You need to rest, take it easy. You can't do that if you're spending all your time researching ways to save my arse!"

"All I've done for the past seven years is figure out ways to save your arse, Harold James! Why ruin a good thing?"

"Obviously it isn't working that well for us anymore, Hermione Jean," Harry replied but immediately regretted it seeing the hurt in his friend's eyes. "That's not what I meant 'Mione," he soothed as a tear rolled down her face. "It was my fault we got captured. It's almost exclusively been my fault every time we have trouble and it's always you getting us out of it. I just meant that you…it was a close call last time. Too close for my comfort. I can't…I can't lose you." His voice cracked as he finished.

*End flashback*

Harry handed Jake a mug of tea. "Earl grey's her favorite," he offered.

"Uh, thanks," Jake replied. "You seem better with this today," he added.

"Remus explained some things to me after our talk last night."

Jake nodded before taking a deep breath and stepping out of the house.

"Oh, hello, Jacob," Hermione greeted as he sat across from her.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as he placed the mug in front of her.

She shrugged.

"Good answer."

"Is that for me?" she asked, through her laughter.

He nodded, "if you answer."

"I feel utterly useless," she finally confided. "Like this war is going on around me and I could lose the most important people in my life and there's not a damn thing that I can do about it because Harry refuses my help."

"It's just a week," he attempted.

It didn't help. "A lot of people can die in a week," she warned.

Just then there was a thundering noise in the clear sky above them and it felt like a mild earthquake was shaking the ground beneath them. Paul, Harry, and Remus ran out the front door while Jake stood up so fast his chair fell to the porch with a loud clatter.

"What's going on?" Hermione asked.

"That's only happened twice before," Paul explained as he made his way to the steps. "When you and Harry tried to get in and when Remus and Tonks tried. Someone's trying to apparate onto the res."

Hermione stood, pulling her wand from her pocket.

"Go inside, Hermione," Harry cautioned.

"No! We made a promise and I'm keeping it."

Harry gave Jake a telling look as many large wolves made their way onto the property.

Remus stared at the largest for a moment before turning to Harry. "They're coming this way," he told the others.

Paul immediately phased, ripping his clothing and bounding off the porch. Harry ran to stand in front of the pack with Remus close behind him but when Hermione tried to follow Jake stood in her way. She tried to side step him and he blocked her again.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" she asked as she made another attempt to lunge off of the porch and he grabbed her around the waist, holding her in place and pinning her arms to her side.

"I'll explain later," he promised.

Just then a stick snapped causing him to jolt around leaving Hermione standing behind him as he created a physical and visual wall between her and whatever danger lie beyond. He kept a firm hold on the hand that held her wand, however, and tucked it safely behind his back and between them.

The group was larger than expected but from what Jake could tell Harry knew every one of them. A small girl with bright red hair ran toward him with her arms stretched wide but Harry held up a hand, stopping her from throwing her arms around him.

"Harry, love," the girl questioned, looking hurt. "What's wrong?"

"It's important that we interrogate each of you before we start the pleasantries," Remus explained. "You remember the trip to pick Harry up for the wedding last summer. It's simple really. You can let me into your heads or we can use Veritaserum if you're more comfortable that way."

Many people nodded and most agreed, all but the red headed girl in front of Harry. "But, love, this is me. Surely you can trust your girlfriend?"

"Why don't you want to do it, Gin?" Harry asked, backing away from her a step.

"What do you mean? Of course I'll do it. I just thought that after what Ron did and how Hermione died you would want to see me, to be with me."

"Who told you about Hermione?" Remus asked, sensing that something was wrong but not trusting Harry to keep the secret if he started talking. There was a collective gasp from the group when they heard the worst.

"Well Ron must've mentioned it or something," Ginny lied, "when he came to the house to try to convince us to join him."

A tall red headed man shook his long haired head revealing his missing ear. "Ron never said anything like that Gin," he told the group. "He just said they were captured."

"Then I must've heard it around the school before we escaped here."

A messy teen with wrinkled clothing contradicted her once more in an Irish accent, "No body's been sayin' anything 'bout 'Mione at Hogwarts Ginny. At least not anything like that."

This time an older lanky red-head spoke. "My goodness, Ginerva, not you too?"

The girl looked flustered as Harry continued to back away from her and the large group she'd come with gave her questioning looks and glares. "Alright fine! I helped them! They promised me that Harry would be safe and we'd be rich and Ron promised he'd get rid of her so she couldn't come between me and Harry any longer! She deserved it! The stupid mudblood! She thought she was so much better than the rest of us! 'Oh, Hermione! Smartest witch of her age! She's so talented! She's so beautiful! She and Harry as so close! She and Harry would be perfect together! Why is he wasting his time with Ginny?' Do you know how annoying it gets to always be second place? He always loved her more. She was going to take him from me. For Merlin's sake, they sleep together!"

Hermione could feel the anger radiating off of Jacob as his hand loosened on hers, trying to keep himself calm. She saw her opportunity as he tried to fight the phasing. She pulled away from him just enough to get a clear line of sight and shouted, "Stupify Maxima!"

Jake heard it vaguely as at least seven separate voices shouted it at the exact same time. Both girls fell at the same time. It was enough to stop him from phasing as he felt her body go limp behind him. Jake spun just in time to catch Hermione and stop her from hitting the hard wood beneath her. The others simply let Ginny fall.


	6. Chapter 6

"I'm fine," Hermione assured Jake as he held her close to him. "I can walk."

It took a moment for the words to register but finally Jake loosened his grip to allow her to attempt walking on her own. She immediately faltered when she put weight on her legs and he immediately scooped her back up.

"It's an effect of using her magic in her weakened state," he vaguely heard someone call. "Put her to bed, straight away. She'll need to eat as well. I'll bring her some Pepper up as soon as I can. Interrogate me first, please, Mr. Potter. I…"

Jake didn't hear anymore as he closed the door to his bedroom with his foot and lay Hermione back in bed.

There was a soft knock only moments later. It was Rachel. "Will you eat now?" she asked as she placed a tray of food on the table next to the bed.

"Thank you," Hermione replied with a small smile.

"Anytime," Rachel insisted with a wink at her younger brother. Hermione would've sworn she saw him blush. "That woman is still shouting out orders for your care even while Tonks is trying to read her mind."

Hermione let out a small giggle. "That's Madame Pomfrey, the school's mediwitch. She's not used to being the one boxed out of the infirmary."

Rachel handed Jake a wet cloth. "Pat her forehead with this every few minutes and make sure she eats, please." Jake nodded as Rachel turned to Hermione. "Please don't fight him. There are a lot of people outside that seem very worried about you."

Hermione nodded this time and Rachel left the room.

"Well?" Hermione asked after chewing and swallowing her first bite.

"Well what?" Jacob replied as he sat next to her on the bed, mopping her forehead with the rag.

"You said you'd tell me what the hell's wrong with you."

"Why do you have to say it like that? Nothing's wrong with me," Jacob argued with a deep sigh.

"Then why wouldn't you let me fight?"

"Harry told you not to," he shrugged, hoping she'd drop it at that.

"Harry's not the boss of me." No such luck. One thing he'd have to learn about his mate was that she was frustratingly pig-headed about some things. "You either! Sam's your alpha."

Jake shook his head. "I'm alpha, actually. I've just been a little pre-occupied lately so Sam, as my beta, has been calling the shots."

This seemed to catch her interest. "Why is that?"

"There was this girl," he started, figuring it was always best to start at the beginning and though Hermione was everything, Bella was the beginning and he didn't want there to be any confusion about that later on. "Her name was Bella Swan and she was my best friend. I _thought_," he made sure to stress the word, "that I was in love with her. She wasn't in love with me though. She got married last week."

"I'm so sorry."

He shrugged and continued while swiping the rag across her forehead again. "Dr. Cullen has kids. They're all around seventeen years old but only one of them was ever single. His name was Edward and Bella fell hard for him from the start. Most girls around here do. In the town, though, not the tribe. The tribe used to steer clear of them and hopefully will be able to again someday. Anyway, they fell in love, got married, moved away and I _thought_," he stressed the word again, "my heart broke."

She caught on. He figured she would. "Why do you keep saying thought like that?"

It was early he knew but he could tell her some things. "Have you ever heard of imprinting?" he asked, tense now.

She thought a moment then nodded slowly. "When a shapeshifter finds their perfect mate?"

Jacob nodded.

"Did you imprint after Bella left then?" she asked, getting excited for him, or maybe she was just the type of girl that liked a happy ending for the story's hero.

"I did," he replied slowly and her smile grew.

"Well that's exciting! Who is she? Is she a member of the tribe?"

Jacob shook his head. "I would've imprinted on her a year ago if it were a member of the tribe," he explained. "You imprint the first time you look into the person's eyes after your first transformation."

She was silent again as she thought. "So you met her within the past week?"

He nodded.

"Did you imprint on me?" Hermione asked in a whisper so low he wouldn't have heard it if not for his extra sensitive wolf hearing.

"Y-yes, I did." He was blushing now. She could see his cheeks stained red under the russet coloring of his handsome face.

She began to nibble her lip and stare at him. The room was silent.

"I freaked you out and you never want to talk to me again, right?" he asked, making to stand.

Her hand reached out and took his, just for a moment before she blushed and pulled it away. "No, it's not that," she assured. "It's just very surprising, sudden even. That's why you've been watching me then?"

He nodded.

"And why you wouldn't let me leave the porch when you thought there might be danger."

"I feel very protective of you," he told her, knowing full well that Edward had once used those same words with Bella in an attempt to keep her from visiting him on the reservation and remembering how insanely stupid he thought the leech to be. "I can't let you get hurt in anyway because you're health and happiness directly affects my own. That's what the hell's wrong with me," he ended on a lighter note.

It worked. She smiled if only for a moment. Then there was silence again, for much longer this time. When she finally opened her mouth to speak again his heart soared.

"Out," the bossy voice from earlier called and he turned to see a middle-aged, very tired looking woman in what looked like thick choir robes. "I need to be alone with my patient. Out, now!"

"But-" Jacob started to protest. This was his reservation, his pack, his house, his room, and his mate. He'd be damned if he was going to leave what was his.

"We'll talk later," Hermione assured him, placing her hand back on his. "It's best not to upset her."

Relenting, Jacob nodded. Then lifting her hand for a soft kiss he stood from the bed and exited the room.

"Simple as that then?" Sam asked when Jake returned to the front yard.

"Nothing's simple about that," Jake corrected.

"What do you think she wants to talk about?" Seth enquired with all his usual excitement.

"I don't know," Jake shrugged. "Probably how as soon as she's well enough she plans to leave here, never look back, and nothing would make her happier than if I were to stay the hell away."

He finally looked around now. The girl they called Ginny was moved to the porch now. She was unconscious and limp but tied up at the wrists and legs. Harry and Remus were distributing vials of liquid while Tonks sat in a chair and stared intently into the stern face of a tall woman with a bun on her head. Most of the pack was still in wolf form, guarding the new comers.

"Did they kill that girl?" Jake asked gesturing to Ginny.

"Harry said she's just stunned," Seth replied with a shrugged.

Jake nodded and continued to survey the scene. He was shocked at the number of people that showed up all at once. How did they even all know where to go or how to get here? "Sam, take Paul and Jerrod and patrol the perimeter. Make sure no one else is trying to get in. Seth, change back. I'll join you and talk to Harry about any magic that can help protect us when he's done with this." With that the almost seven foot tall, muscular man transformed into a beast with sharp fangs and reddish brown fur.

Hermione's heart rate increased as she watched the sight from her spot in bed, next to the window.


	7. Chapter 7

It took hours for the interrogations to be completed. Jake kept watch near his pregnant cousin for most of that time and heard many names as the people were cleared and passed into the house beyond: McGonagall, Flitwick, Fred, George, Molly, Arthur, Kingsley, Charlie, Bill, Fleur, Luna, Dean, Ollivander, Katie, Angelina, Seamus, Neville, Parvarti, Padma, Dennis, Collin, Lee, Aberforth, a very large man named Hagrid, and an elderly woman named Miss Figg that Harry hugged as soon as she passed interrogation.

Jake disappeared to the back of the garage in his wolf form and walked back through the door of it in his human form minutes later. He jogged to catch up to Harry on the way back to the house. "Not that I'm not glad to have some reinforcements man but, uh, where do they expect to stay?"

Harry simply opened the door and let Jake enter before him. Jake was speechless at the sight. The house was huge. It had always been larger than many on the reservation but now it was at least five times its original size and completely undetectable from the outside. "Wizards mate," Harry reminded him. "We travel light." Jake only nodded.

After lunch there was more training to be done, then dinner, then back to training. It was almost ten in the evening when they finally finished for the night.

"Do you mind if I say goodnight before you go in there?" Harry asked Jake as they made their way toward his room together.

"I don't see why not," Jake replied. "It'll just delay her telling me she's not interested."

"She won't though," Harry assured him.

"You don't know that."

"I know her."

The room was freezing when they walked in. The whole house had been really but Harry barely noticed with all the exercise he was getting that day and Jake never noticed. Hermione was asleep but she was shivering.

"We don't have a heater," Jake told him, looking around mournfully for more blankets.

"Mate, you are a heater," Harry pointed out.

Jake looked embarrassed. "You want me to sleep with her?" Jake asked.

"Just in the same bed. It's not like I'm saying you should shag her," Harry laughed.

Jake looked at him a moment, wondering if he was going to stand there and watch, feeling awkward about crawling into bed with a woman while her best friend looked on. Harry stared back, daring him to make a move. Finally the smaller man laughed and turned toward the door. "Goodnight then."

Jake changed into a clean pair of mesh shorts before crawling into the bed. He covered himself with a light sheet just because he couldn't sleep without something covering him. He was laying on top of the blankets to provide a barrier between them, not wanting to frighten her when she awoke.

Hermione was warm. She liked being warm. It reminded her of the trip she took with her parents to the British Virgin Islands the summer before second year. It was her last real summer without having to worry about their health or safety. She missed them. She wrapped herself in the warmth while it lasted. Soon it would be rainy and cold again.

Jake's entire body tensed when Hermione pulled closer to him. Her arms were around his waist and her face was inches from his. He couldn't resist reaching up and stroking a strand of hair away from her face. She opened her eyes and he waited for her scream. It never came. She just smiled at him and moved closer to his body for warmth, laying her head on his bicep. Finally he wrapped his free arm around her back and pulled her into him while she fell back asleep secure in his arms.

"Who the hell are you?"

Jake was rudely awakened by the one eared man the next morning.

"And what the hell are you doing in bed with 'Mione?"

No. This was the man with one ear.

Jake didn't even want to open his eyes. The sun wasn't even up yet. "What time is it?" he asked through a yawn.

"Four in the morning," the first man answered. He thought that one's name was Fred. "Time to train and don't change the subject!"

Jake was surprised once again when his head fell to the mattress. His pillow had been pulled out from under him and he soon heard two soft "thud" noises.

"I'm trying to bloody sleep here," Hermione yelled. "I nearly die of blood loss and you two are still hassling me?" They didn't respond. "GET OUT!"

"Well," the one eared man flipped his hair and mocked insult as the two headed for the door.

Hermione rolled toward the night stand and grabbed her wand. "Accio pillows." They flew back and hit Jacob in the face. "I'm sorry," she apologized, taking one from him. "My aim is a little off at the moment."

"It's fine," Jacob responded placing his own pillow behind his head. "It was just a pillow after all."

Hermione rolled on her side to look him in the face.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered causing her to blush. He cleared his throat, hoping it would also clear his mind. "You wanted to talk yesterday," he reminded her.

"Oh, yes," she agreed. "I, well, I think I changed my mind."

"Changed your mind?"

"Well I'd like to get to know you better before we rush into anything of course, but I would like to get to know you," she explained.

"And yesterday you didn't want to?" he asked, relieved but still a little hurt.

"Yesterday I was scared, well, more scared than I am today," she replied.

"Think maybe tomorrow you'll be even less scared?" he asked hopefully.

She laughed. "Who knows? Maybe."

"I hope so."

"Me too," she confided.

He nodded sitting up. "Then let me help you," he offered.

"Help me?"

"Let me take you on a date. Nothing big," he rushed on, seeing the trepidation in her eyes. "Maybe just a walk after dinner?"

"I'd like that. Oh and Jake?"

"Yeah."

"It's not like that. With Harry, I mean. Yes, we share a bed sometimes but nothing happens. It's really not like she made it sound."


	8. Chapter 8

The date was a success, at least from Jake's point of view. He was pretty sure they were being followed by at least five guys that Hermione went to school with plus the twins that woke them up that morning. And he spent an hour being interrogated by Remus and three other men before they were allowed to leave the house. And Hermione was still too weak to walk very far so they had to limit it to the woods around his house. And that medi-witch called them back after less than half an hour.

But at the end of the night, Hermione agreed to do it again tomorrow. And to Jake that was a success. He'd returned her to his room an hour earlier. She attempted to insist that she stay with Harry and some of their Hogwarts friends in the magical additions but he insisted that she stay in his room at least until she was cleared by the overbearing medi-witch. He said he wanted her to heal, which was true. But also, he liked the way she made the room smell and being able to watch her as she slept.

"Wow, that's a little stalker-ish don't you think?" someone asked. It had startled him in the silence of his garage. He dropped the wrench he was holding and spun around. He was pretty sure the man's name was Neville.

"What?" Jake asked, wondering if he'd said the words out loud and at the same time hoping he hadn't. Quil and Embry were patrolling close to the house tonight and they would have a field day with that information.

"No," Neville told him. "You didn't say anything aloud. I was just practicing my legilimency."

"Your-"

"Mind reading," Neville cut him off already knowing what he was going to ask.

Jake could feel his anger rising. "I'd appreciate it if you stayed out of my head!" he snapped. "I already have an entire pack able to hear my thoughts when I transform!"

Neville shrugged. "If you're going to be dating Hermione-"

"I'm getting a little tired of hearing that you know!" Jake cut him off this time. "One guy needs to know I'm worthy. Another needs to know I'm strong. Another needs to know what brain I'm thinking with. Another wants to make sure I have good intentions. Harry approves of me! Remus and Tonks too! I _can't _hurt her! It's not possible!"

"She's more sensitive than she lets on, mate," Neville attempted to soothe, seeing that he had crossed the line and regretting it deeply.

"You don't get it!" Jake continued. "I _can't_ hurt her. My sole purpose in life is to protect her and make her happy! That's it!"

"What's that even supposed to mean?" a tall, thin, black teen asked as he entered the garage as well. He was bruised and swollen with a split lip.

"Eavesdropping?" Jake asked. "Or were you reading my mind as well?"

"We made him do it," the messy Irishman named Seamus confessed as he too entered the garage. "We just want to look out for her. 'Mione's naïve. She trusts too easily and she loves strong. She likes to see the best in people even when there may not be any good to see. Take Ron and Ginny for example."

"What's with the protective older brother act anyway?" Jake asked. "Every single person here is so protective of her. That's my job now."

"But it was our job first," Dean confided. "She doesn't even know how many times we got into fights for her. She's muggle born and she's smart. She's too talented for her own good in some cases and people hated her from the start for that! Hell, people from our own house teased her. But that was different! Your house is your family and when it's family it's all in fun. But the other houses, they made her cry. All the time. I can't even count the number of times I saw her hiding in the library crying. I'm muggle born too. I was on the run for the past nine months before I came here. I was in that house with her just four days ago. I know how it is. I feel for her."

"She was the first person at Hogwarts to be nice to me," Neville confessed also. "The only person for all of first year, well her and Harry."

"She always took the time to help me with spells. Tutored me in nearly every class and never got frustrated when I burned more things than I could levitate," Seamus added before continuing. "We're protective of her because she chose to love us and in return we love her. And to be completely honest, if you haven't noticed, 'Mione's the brains of this operation. Without her we've really only been surviving on dumb luck. We need her, mate. Her and Harry together, they're basically our world's only hope!"

Jake wasn't sure how to respond to that.


	9. Chapter 9

Jake had to patrol that night as well. He didn't get home until after breakfast the next morning. Hermione was sitting on the porch with Harry, Neville, and Luna when he walked up the front steps.

"Good morning," she greeted with a smile.

"Morning," he replied through a yawn. Her smile faltered a little. "Something wrong?"

"No," she replied softly. "I was just hoping we could eat breakfast together. I waited for you. But you're obviously tired so I'll just let you sleep."

"I always have time for you," he assured with a smile as he sat at the table with them. "And food. What's going on?" he asked no one in particular.

"Harry, Luna, and Neville were just about to explain to me how they knew to come here," Hermione answered as the other three squirmed.

"I…uh…I…"

"Spit it out Harry," Hermione replied with a glare and Jake was surprised by the force she used when talking to her best friend. He'd seen it before of course but it was still surprising to see someone so small standing up to someone so much larger and more commanding. Even more to see him withering under her glare.

"Sirius told me," Harry finally replied.

"Sirius?" Hermione and Jake asked at once.

"You mean my cousin?" Jake continued.

"I know it sounds crazy but we were in trouble. I managed to get you away from them and outside while Dobby was taking Dean, Luna, and Ollivander. And then it hit me that I didn't know what to do. If we went to Shell Cottage Ron would know where to find us. If we went any of the places that I could think of, Ron could tell them where to look. So I just closed my eyes and suddenly I-I heard him. And he said I needed to get to La Push, Washington in the States and to find a man named Billy Black. So, I did." Harry winced as he finished speaking, afraid she would be angry that he let someone in his head again.

"Were your walls up?" she asked, tentative.

"I think so. We'd been working on it and I think they were but I heard it anyway."

"I heard him too," Neville confessed. "I wasn't sure if it was him, of course, since I only met him the night that…well, I only met him that one time. But I thought I remembered his voice fairly well and he told me the same thing, except he also told me that the two of you were safe, so I grabbed as many people as I could, ran through the tunnel to the Hog's Head and apparated."

"I heard it as well and I brought Dean along. He was still so weak from taking all those beatings to protect me. I think Bill and Fleur heard it too," Luna replied in the far off, dream like voice Jake was starting to grow accustomed to.

"Are you angry?" Harry asked, pleading with his eyes for her to say she wasn't.

Hermione shook her head. "No," she finally replied. "I've just never heard of that magic before. I'll have to research it when we have an acceptable library again."

"Missing Gimmauld Place?" Harry asked with a hint of laughter in his voice.

"How could anyone possibly miss that place?" They recognized the voice but no one wanted to be the first to acknowledge that they heard it. It was simply too good to be true. At least for Harry and Hermione it was. It was like a fantasy, a miracle. It wasn't possible. They'd all seen it happen. They'd all seen him die, then fall behind that mysterious curtain.

Jake was the only one to see the man. He was coming from the back of the house and Jake happened to be facing that direction. There was an old trail back there that only people who'd used it many times before would ever be able to find. It led straight to the house. He was a tall man with long, wavy dark brown hair and a matching five o'clock shadow that were both starting to show signs of gray. His eyes were a pale bluish-gray color and he was thin, but not the lanky, blown-away-by-a-strong-wind kind of thin. There was muscular definition to his frame. He wore a large, friendly smile and his eyes seemed to dance with joy and at the same time be drowning in pain.

"Now this place," the man continued spreading his arms wide and sucking in a deep breath of fresh air through his nose, "this place I've missed for many years."

Jake continued to watch as his four companions slowly turned to face the man. It was as though they were in a trance. Their eyes were wide and their mouths hung open. They moved slowly, stiffly and none of them seemed to be breathing. No one reached for their wand. No one moved to any position of defense at all. They were stunned.

Alerted by the sudden quiet outside, Remus decided to peak his head out the door to check on the teens. He barely looked out when he saw what had seemed to stun them into silence and bound out the door with his wand drawn. Kingsley and Arthur were close behind him, their wands at the ready as well.

"Why does Hogwarts no longer have the Halloween Ball?" Remus demanded of the man, surprising Jake. It seemed like such a trivial question. Shouldn't anyone who went to the school know that? What was this supposed to prove anyway? He was starting to get anxious now, wondering if he should be doing something more to protect Hermione. He stood and the new comer's eyes widened as Jake moved to place himself between the teens and the man. Hermione reached for his hand to stop him when he reached her side, however. He waited.

"According to all the literature, Dumbledore canceled the ball to improve efficiency among the older levels during the first semester of school," the man replied easily, almost as if he were bored. "You and I, though, old friend, we know different don't we? The real reason was that you, James, Peter, and I performed a spell that backfired when we were fourth years. We charmed the door so that whoever entered the masquerade ball would have their mask fused to their face for the remainder of the evening. We let Peter perform the spell, however, and like he so often did, he screwed it up. People were stuck in their masks for three weeks after and the four of us had detention till June." He was laughing now and all eyes turned to Remus to see how he would react to the answer.

Remus smiled. It was all that Harry and Hermione seemed to need. They jumped from their seats and sprinted toward the tall, dark stranger with the silky voice and large smile. Harry reached him first throwing his arms around the man's neck. Hermione was next and they each opened an arm to her to allow her into their hug.

The sudden commotion surprised the inhabitants of the house as much as the silence had done to Remus moments earlier and soon people were flooding onto the porch and lawn. From the way they shook, it was obvious Harry, Hermione, and the new comer were all crying. What really surprised Jake (and from the looks of things the other tribe members that happened to be there) was that they weren't the only ones. Tonks was sobbing. Remus slowly approached the man with tears in his eyes as well. All of the loud red-heads seemed stunned into silence. Even the severe looking woman with the tight bun cried. Then Jake saw something he hadn't seen since the day his mother died. There on the porch, his father sat in his wheelchair crying, unable to move down the stairs on his own. His sisters looked at him as if asking what they should do now.

Jake gave Paul a nod and together they lifted the chair, moved quickly down the stairs and deposited his father on the ground. Billy wheeled toward the man, stopping every few moments to wipe the vision blocking moisture from his eyes. "Sirius?" he asked in a whisper when he was finally in front of the man.

"It's been too long cousin," Sirius replied as he bent to hug Billy. "Thank you for taking care of them," Jake heard him whisper.


	10. Chapter 10

Jake couldn't avoid it anymore now that Sirius was there. Hermione was moved out of his bedroom and into Harry's before lunch. Sirius argued that she was perfectly able to make it through the night without being watched now and there was no need for her to share a room with a man that was for all intents and purposes a stranger to her. Feeling as though she had put Jake out enough as it was, Hermione agreed and watched as Harry carried her things to the other room. He wouldn't allow her to help.

It was dinner now and Sirius, Harry, Hermione, Remus, Tonks, Billy, Jake, Rachel, Rebecca, and Paul were all crowded together around the kitchen table.

"I still don't understand why you didn't let someone know you were alive," Harry reprimanded his godfather.

The sentiment was shared by all at the table.

"It wasn't safe," Sirius explained with a sigh. Thankfully those closest to him waited until they were alone to ambush him with guilt, unlike his former professors, Order members, and the many students that had seen Harry and Hermione suffering over the past two years. "Harry, if I contacted you or anyone else in the wizarding world I risked exposing myself and putting us all in danger."

"But the death eaters didn't take over the ministry until last July," Harry argued back.

"But they already had positions of power inside the ministry." It was Hermione who came to his defense this time. "They weren't able to just walk in and take over. They were doing intel for years before they managed this. Creating a rift between the ministry and the school, Dumbledore, you. No, Sirius was right to stay hidden from us until now."

"Thank you, Hermione," Sirius replied with a nod in her direction.

"What about me though?" Billy asked. "Did you have to stay hidden from me? I would've hidden you cousin."

"I couldn't risk getting you involved until there was no other option. This 'cleansing' they're performing could mean they come after your whole tribe. I didn't want to draw any more attention to you than was necessary. I've been close, though. I've been protecting you."

"How close?" Rachel asked, intrigued.

"I've been in Forks, actually," Sirius replied. "I've been working for Charlie but I managed to disguise myself. I quit this morning when he told me that you had visitors. I knew who they must be."

"You've been here this whole time?" Jake asked, scandalized.

"I have," Sirius replied with a small laugh. "And I have to say, Charlie definitely preferred you to that Edward bloke."

Jake only shrugged and continued to stare at Hermione who gave him a sideways glance at the news. It didn't go unnoticed by Sirius. "Yeah, well, none of that matters now," Jake replied seeing the look Hermione had given him and wanting to ease her mind.

"I knew there was something familiar about you." The entire room jumped at Charlie's voice. "You knew a little too much about the area to never have been here before. Came to check up on you, Billy," Charlie continued as he took a seat at the table. "You've been putting off our fishing trip a little too long. I see you've got some visitors though."

Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Billy laughed at the shock in the younger generations' faces.

"You knew too?" Jake finally caught on.

"Of course I knew. Know what the Cullens are too. Everyone thinks I'm so damned clueless."

"And it doesn't bother you?" Paul asked.

"I don't love the idea but to be perfectly honest, I doubt it'll last that long anyway. Bella's too much like her mom."

Billy scoffed and nodded.

* * *

><p>"So…" Jake didn't know what to say on their nightly walk. It had been a long, interesting, enlightening day.<p>

Hermione was simply silent.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"It's been an interesting day," she replied with a sigh as she sat on a fallen tree and motioned for him to sit. He obliged. "I think we're being followed again tonight," she whispered when he was next to her.

"I doubt they're ever going to leave us alone, even on our wedding night," Jake laughed and they both blushed. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked. "The interesting day, I mean, not our wedding night."

"I can't believe Sirius is alive," she sobbed. It shocked him how quickly the tears poured from her eyes. "I watched it happen, you know? I watched him die. I was only sixteen. It was less than two years ago. He was fighting Malfoy. He was right next to Harry and Bellatrix hit him from behind with the curse. I saw his dead eyes. I'd never actually seen someone die before. Especially not someone I love. He came there that night to protect us, you know? I mean sure it was mostly Harry that he was looking after but I like to think that maybe it was me too. And Neville and Luna. Even Ronald and Ginny. He didn't have to come but he did. Just like he didn't have to send us here but he did."

"I doubt he really had a choice in it, actually," Jake replied as he put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. "He loves you—all of you, not just Harry—and it's obvious. When you love someone you really don't have a choice. The same way as you don't have a choice but to follow Harry and all these guys who won't get off my case don't have a choice but to protect you. And I will never be able to make a choice on my own again. When you love someone your life's not your own anymore. It's linked to those people forever."

"Do you regret it?" she asked him, seriously.

Looking into her eyes he saw the vulnerability that Seamus, Dean and Neville had been telling him about the night before. He shook his head, still staring into her eyes to make sure he got his point across. "That's the best part about loving people. You never regret it. Not if it's real at least. I would never regret a sacrifice I've made for my family, my tribe, or my pack. I'll never regret anything that has to do with you, not as long as you're alive."

"What if he leaves again?" she asked. "I need him. I can't lose anyone else. I know Harry has to die and without Sirius I've no one left. I can't lose him again."

"You have me," Jake promised, placing a small kiss on her forehead as he reminded himself once again that though he loved her, she needed time to feel the same. To her he was barely more than a stranger. "You have the Weasleys, Lupins, your friends, your parents…"

"Are dead," she told him in a whisper.

"Remus said they were in hiding," Jake told her, shocked.

She shook her head. "No. I told them all that I erased their memories and sent them away. I didn't want to tell them the truth. I didn't want to admit the truth to myself, even. I thought if I just kept saying that they were alive but had forgotten me it would make it easier and I could believe it. I could just imagine them on the beach in Australia, alive and happy, but it wasn't true."

"What…did happen then?" Jake asked, knowing that it wouldn't be as simple as his own mother's death in a car accident.

"I went to Harrods like I do every summer. Harry's aunt and uncle made him wear his cousin's hand-me-downs that were about a hundred sizes too big for him and I hated seeing him teased for it at school first year. So when school ended he gave me some money and I'd buy him clothes that fit. Last summer he'd given me extra money for his clothes, clothes for Ronald, and supplies. We knew we couldn't stick out and Ron didn't know how to dress like a muggle. I was gone all day, having lunch in a little square and going to the bookstore that my mum and I loved so much, pretending for a moment that I was just like any other muggle enjoying London, like I was safe and the world was a good place. Then I got home and the doors were locked. But my key didn't work so I knew they were locked with magic. I snuck around to the glass door in the back garden and I saw them in the parlor. The death eaters were torturing my mum and making my dad watch and they kept telling them that if they would only say where I'd gone they'd leave them alone, let them live. My dad saw me, he caught my eye and shook his head so I didn't reveal myself. He mouthed 'run' to me and yelled that he'd sooner die than let them hurt me. So they killed them. And I saw it all. And I've nowhere to go when this is all over. I don't have a home or a family and…"

She trailed off as Jake pulled her more tightly into him. He heard twigs snap behind him and jumped, pulling her closer. It was only Sirius.

"I'm not leaving again, 'Mione," he promised as he sat on her other side and placed a hand on her back.

She held tight to Jake as her muffled reply answered, "you can't promise that."

"You're right," he conceded, "but I can promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure of it."

She nodded and held tightly to Jake. Sirius gave them an odd look before continuing. "Madam Pomfrey asked me to tell you that it's time to come in now," he finally told her as he stood with a final pat on the back. "Well, more like ordered. You know how she can get."

Hermione let out a small laugh but waited until Sirius was gone to lift her head. Her eyes were red and puffy.

"You alright?" Jake asked.

She nodded. "I'm fine. I'm really sorry about all that."

"Don't be," he replied standing and pulling her up with him. "When it comes to you, nothing's too much."

They were silent on the walk back to his house. Neither of them spoke until they were on the porch. "That stuff I told you," she finally told him in a very faint whisper, "do you mind keeping it between us? No one knows. Not even Harry."

"Of course," he replied opening the door for her.

"Aren't you coming in?" she asked as he turned back toward the yard.

He shook his head. "I'm going for a run to clear my head," he finally replied. "Too many nosy mind-reading wizards in that house."

"Goodnight then," she told him stepping back on the porch and letting the door close quietly behind her.

"Goodnight," he replied, looking at her perplexed.

She stood on her toes and placed a small kiss on his bare shoulder—it was the highest she could reach on his tall body—before blushing and going inside.

"Wow," Jake heard Seth's quiet awe.

"Shit," he thought to himself. He may have been able to avoid the wizards in his house but he'd forgotten about the wolves outside. "It's private, Seth," he finally replied. "Keep it to yourself, got it?"

"Of course, man. I get it," he agreed. "She seems really cool, you know?"

"Oh, I know."

"She makes me think of a girl that you'd date. Like, even if we hadn't wolfed out. If you two just met under other circumstances, she's right for you."

"You think?" Jake asked, the thought of it making him very happy.

"Yeah," Seth replied. "She's smart and loyal and brave. From what her friends have been telling me she's got a good sense of humor and she's a closet rebel. She doesn't break down when things don't go her way. I liked Bella and all but-"

"Hermione's better!" Jake finished.

"Yeah," Seth agreed. "Sometimes I wonder if any of us would've ever chosen Bella if she wasn't Charlie's daughter, you know? Like our dads were all so close for so long that it just made sense that we'd be friends. Anyway..."

They were quiet for a while.

"How do you think this is all going to play out?" Seth finally asked.

"Dunno," Jake answered honestly. "They're hoping to re-group and get strong and healthy then return to England to lead an attack and keep the tribe out of it. If that's the case, we'll secure the res and England to lead an attack and keep the tribe out of it. If that's the case, we'll secure the res and Sam's in charge till I get back."

"We're going with you!" Seth reminded him. "That much is already settled.

Jake nodded. "Anyway, if they find us first we buckle down here and fight. The Cullens and some of their friends are protecting the town and we have our people to worry about. Speaking of which…"

Seth sighed. "Mom finally got ahold of her this morning. She's not happy but she's on her way home."

"Good," Jake replied. "I know it's hard for her here but it's the safest place right now. We need her help to protect the res and I don't like the idea of this cleansing going down and her being out there all alone."

"And she's not even your sister," Seth told him.


	11. Chapter 11

"So what do we have to expect here?" Paul asked. It was the next morning at training and Harry asked if anyone had any questions. Paul was the only one to speak up but it was obvious from the looks on the pack members' faces that they were all curious. "Can you maybe demonstrate?"

"Uh…" Harry stalled. "Sure, I guess. Who wants to help me out here?"

"I'll duel you."

"Anyone else?" Harry offered.

"Madam Pomfrey has given me a clean bill of health, Harold. She said I could train! Let me train," Hermione argued as the small eighteen year old pushed her way through the sea of large werewolves and tall wizards to stand toe to toe with a man who stood a good ten inches taller than her.

"Mione," he groaned.

"It's time, Mr. Potter," the elderly Professor McGonagall cut him off.

"She needs to train mate," Neville told him as well.

"We need her," George added.

"Well," Hermione asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dean?" Harry asked, attempting to get someone else, anyone else to duel him.

Dean stepped back.

"Shay?"

"And risk her getting mad at me? Sorry, Harry," Seamus replied as he too took a step away.

One by one Harry made eye contact with every witch or wizard there and one by one they backed away from him. "For the love of Merlin," he groaned.

"I'll duel," Fred finally answered then with a wink added, "her."

Hermione glared at him but he simply continued to smile and before long she was smiling back. Then the two broke into hysterical laughter, soon joined by all the Weasleys except one.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Harry, don't let them do that again!" Molly Weasley ordered.

"Fine," Harry agreed with a groan and the audience backed up to give them space.

Jake hadn't noticed before how small she was. Yes, he knew she was short in stature and narrow in width but as all five feet of her faced off with the five foot eleven inch, thin but muscular Harry in her jeans, lion sweatshirt and Nikes he realized that she was actually quite tiny, even breakable looking and his body tensed. Her clothes seemed to hang off of her.

"Don't take it easy on me either, Potter," she warned.

"Never," Harry replied with a challenging raise of his eyebrow. "No unforgivable and no sectum Sempra," he ordered reaching to shake her hand.

"Agreed," she told him as their hands grasped.

It happened quickly and the twins, Sirius, Sam, Seth, and a few other pack members had to hold Jake back when it did. Harry flipped her when she took his hand and she landed flat on her back on the ground.

Hermione simply laughed, rolling on her back then pushing up off the ground and landing gracefully on both feet. "It's like that then is it?" she questioned.

"Might as well show them all that we've been working on right?" Harry asked as the two circled. "How we plan to revolutionized wizarding duels."

Hermione stared him down as they continued to circle. "Someone might want to perform a protection charm so no one gets hurt," she suggested, never breaking eye contact.

Harry mouthed something. It must've been a whisper. He flicked his wrist toward her but she was too fast, jumping out of the way just in time.

"Bloody hell," Fred yelled. "Protego!"

A flash of light reflected off of his charm and ricocheted into the trees.

Hermione didn't say anything at all when she performed her spell. Harry rolled on the ground to avoid it just in time and Remus performed the same charm to protect those near him.

Harry fired another whispered spell in Hermione's direction but missed, sending Sam into a tree. Hermione fired back knocking Harry off of his feet. Harry shot again, hitting Hermione in the shoulder and sending her flying in a double back flip. She landed in a one-handed push up position and fired another spell before jumping back to her feet. They went on like this for half an hour—sweating, panting, bleeding and dirty but never breaking eye contact.

Then Harry did something that surprised everyone there. He morphed on the spot into a large black dog with shaggy hair and stood barking at Hermione. She waited a moment, watching. Then he lunged. She wasted no time, running straight for him. The crowd let out a collective gasp. Mid-stride, Hermione morphed as well into a sleek, russet colored wolf.

"Well that was unexpected," Sirius commented as Harry's dog and Hermione's wolf collided.

Hermione got the upper hand, landing on top of Harry. They stared at each other a moment, as if having some sort of silent conversation. Then, Harry scratched, bit and clawed his way free. The fight continued like this another five minutes before someone intervened.

"Change back this instant and end the duel already," Molly Weasley ordered. "I think they've had a good enough demonstration."

Harry changed back first and waited, wand at the ready for Hermione to change and when she did, "Expelliarmus!" Harry's wand flew from his hand into hers.

"What was _that_ exactly?" Sirius asked as he applauded.

Harry shrugged. "A new style, something no one would expect. Besides that we know for sure that at least two unforgivables have no effect on us in animagus form."

"Not even Ronald would expect it," Hermione added. "He doesn't even know we made the transformation."

"Figured he'd be Ron about it?" Fred joked.

Hermione nodded, panting. "You know how Malfoy's always said that I'm uncivilized because I'm a muggle born? Well, Harry and I decided to put that to good use as well. We need to get physical with them. Duel, yes, but also fight!"

"How do we do that exactly?" Cormac McLaggen asked from the back.

The pack burst into laughter. "You've never actually hit someone?" Seth finally gasped out.

"Well, no."

They laughed harder.

"Not many purebloods have, actually," Sirius answered seriously. "Like Hermione said, they consider it uncivilized to show physical force."

"The only time I ever even heard of it at Hogwarts off the pitch was when 'Mione punched Malfoy during fifth year," Angelina added.

"Still my best memory of Hogwarts," Hermione sighed.

"And he never even saw it coming," Harry pointed out. "Which is why we think it'll help at least some."

"But how do we do it?" McLaggen asked again.

"Don't worry, dude," Jake offered. "We can teach you that."


	12. Chapter 12

"We match," Jake told Hermione that night on their walk.

"I've noticed," she blushed, looking away.

"What do you think it means?"

"No idea."

"That was some amazing fighting earlier, by the way. Kind of hot, actually."

Hermione didn't say anything, simply stood there blushing.

"Sorry. Did I make you uncomfortable?" Jake asked, turning back when he noticed she wasn't by his side any longer.

"No," she shook her head. "It's not that."

"What is it then?"

"Nothing important," she lied, walking to catch up to him and gingerly taking his large hand with her small one.

"You're sure?" he asked smiling down at her.

"Positive," she assured him, smiling back up.

He leaned down, cupping her face with his free hand, closing his eyes as he moved closer.

"Oi, what are you two doing out here all alone?" McLaggen asked.

Jake groaned as he pulled away. "On a date, man," he replied tensely.

"Seems a rather boring date to me," McLaggen offered.

"If you haven't noticed, Cormac," Hermione replied, "we don't have many options at the moment. And I was rather enjoying myself until you arrived."

"Want to just head back?" Jake asked as the unwelcomed visitor shrugged and walked away pleased that he had ruined the mood.

"Sure," she replied with a slight frown.

Jake heard a distant rumble as he and Hermione approached the house. He knew that sound. He'd repaired the motorcycle himself. It was Bella's but she had given it to him when Edward disapproved of it. He, in turn, had given it to Leah along with his blessing when she asked him to let her leave the pack. He understood. It had been three months earlier, just after he'd gotten the invitation to the wedding. He thought he was heartbroken and he knew how she must be feeling everyday having to see Sam and Emily carrying on as they did. Leah left the next day and he hadn't heard from her since. She didn't call home for the first two months and when she did she told her brother that she never wanted to go back. This wasn't going to be a fun conversation, he knew.

"That's Leah," he explained as Harry and Sirius met them in the yard, "Seth's sister. I should go talk to her. It's a difficult situation for her."

Hermione nodded and Jake ran toward the garage without another word. He knew that was where she'd go first, to confront him. But he also knew at the moment that if they weren't patrolling the entire pack would be there too.

* * *

><p>"Where is he?" Leah asked as she took her helmet off and laid it on the seat of her bike, avoiding eye contact with her former boyfriend.<p>

"Seth?" Paul asked.

"No," she glared. "I saw him on my way here. He's patrolling near the beach. Where's Jake?"

"Right behind you," Jake replied as he slipped in through the back door.

"You said I could leave," she accused but he could see the hurt in her eyes.

"I know I did and I'm really sorry that you had to come back," he soothed as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her.

She didn't return the hug. "You promised I wouldn't have to fight again. That I could be done with this and try to be normal!"

"I'm not asking you to fight," Jake soothed. "All I'm asking is for you to stay safe. Stay here until we know it's safe for you to leave."

"What the hell, Jake? You have some major explaining to do! I thought the leech problem was over!"

"It's not the bloodsuckers this time," Embry began. "It's a nuh-uh-uh-" He choked on his words and when Jake turned to see the problem he saw that his friend's tongue was swollen to ten times its normal size and still growing.

"What the hell?" Leah asked as she began to back away, bumping into to two red heads on her way toward the door.

"Let that be-" one of them began.

"A lesson to you mate," the other finished his thought.

"Watch what you say-"

"About our dear 'Mione or-"

"You will regret it."

"We may not be stupid enough to hit you because-"

"Well look at you,"

"You'd crush us both."

"But we are very talented wizards-"

"And we have built our combined talents into a very successful business-"

"Of pranks and jokes and such-"

"And we will make your life hell-"

"If you ever say another disparaging word about her."

"She is our sister after all."

"Well, better than the real one."

"Got it?" they finished together.

"What did you say about Hermione?" Jake asked, forgetting Leah for the moment.

Embry was gasping for breath now.

"Promise to watch your tongue from now on?" one of the red heads asked.

"Ha, watch your tongue. Good one Fred."

Embry nodded emphatically.

"Well then here's the antidote," Fred offered and Embry threw it in his mouth and chewed as best he could.

"I'm waiting," Jake persisted.

Embry cowered slightly. "Just that you two could do it doggy style for real," he finally answered in a small whisper and Jake's eyes flashed.

"Oh, hello," Fred greeted, satisfied it seemed with Embry's punishment. "I'm Fred and this is my less attractive brother, George."

"Leah," she greeted, tentatively, staring at George in a strange way that he didn't even seem to notice.

"There sure are a lot of you aren't there?" George asked as he shook her hand.

"A lot of us?" Sam questioned. "There are thirty of you!"

"Not at the house," Fred corrected.

"I meant shape-shifters," George added.

"Only one woman though. 'Mione would call that interesting if she were here," Fred continued.

"Hey, Jake," Harry called as he entered the garage. "You can't let that McLaggin thing get to you."

"McLaggin?" George groaned.

"I hate that guy," the twins both said at once.

"I mean really, how is he here?"

"He's a Gryffindor, just like the rest of us-brave and loyal and true," Harry defended.

"And arrogant and annoying-"

"And boring and unintelligent and a prat-"

"And creepy and harrasses 'Mione too much."

"We should've put an end to that in the shop before her sixth year you know?"

Harry wasn't listening to them anymore. He knew the twins had a way of going off into their own world and he'd become very skilled at ignoring it by now. But he did see something else intriguing. "Bloody hell! Ton tongue toffee? Really? Can't you give it a break for a while? You're mum is going to freak out and we're all stuck here together in a space far too small to avoid the fall-out if she hears about this one!"

"But he insulted Hermione's honor!" Fred defended.

"I don't even know what to do with you two anymore. I swear sometimes I regret giving you that money," Harry grumbled.

"Don't worry about Mrs. Weasley finding out," Jake assured. "No one here's going to tell her."

"We'd appreciate that, mate," George told him.

"Just go to bed already," Harry pleaded.

"You're not our mum!" George argued.

"And besides that we're grown men! Even our mum doesn't tell us when it's bedtime!" Fred added.

Harry rubbed his temples and clenched his teeth. "I could tell your mum myself," he threatened.

"She doesn't scare us."

"McGonagall then."

George shrugged. "Oh well. Lovely to meet you Leah. This is Harry, by the way. One of our fearless leaders. Night all."

"It's nice to meet you," she barely whispered still looking at George.

"You as well," Harry replied. "I'm off to bed," he added to Jake. "Good night."

Leah only vaguely heard Jake yelling at Embry in the background. "Okay, Jake," she finally interrupted him. "What do you need me to do?"


	13. Chapter 13

"Well it's not like he's taken the initiative at all, Luna."

Jake didn't mean to be eavesdropping. He'd spent the last two hours explaining everything to Leah and when he left the garage and said goodnight to his friend he saw the light on in the window to the addition he knew most of the girls and younger woman were staying. He was just walking by, considering knocking and trying to get in a few extra minutes with Hermione before he went on patrol. But then he heard giggling and then she spoke and he couldn't help but listen.

"He obviously likes you though," another girl defended. It wasn't Luna. Jake already knew Luna's voice. It was hard to miss.

"I don't doubt that, Parvati," Hermione replied with a sigh. "But I...he...I...he won't kiss me."

There was silence a moment, then more giggles.

"It's not funny. I tried to kiss him the other night and the closest I could get to his lips was his bloody shoulder. And tonight...well I thought he was going to kiss me but then Cormac showed up and after he left, Jacob didn't try again. In fact he heard an engine that he recognized as a girl's and ran off as soon as we got back to the yard."

Jake felt like an ass. He felt like an ass for eavesdropping on Hermione and her friends but even worse for ignoring all the signals she was sending.

"But what about all those things you told me yesterday?" That was Luna.

"Soul mates?" Hermione laughed. "It's bullocks! Supposedly everything in him tels him that he wants to be with me. But what if he doesn't want it to?"

"I think you're reading too much into it," a fourth girl told her.

_Yes! _Jake thought. _Listen to her. She knows what she's saying!_

"Maybe," Hermione sighed. "I just-"

There was a knock on the door then he heard Harry's voice.

"Mione? Can you come with me?"

"Of course," she agreed before saying her goodnights.

_Damnit!_ Jake thought as he disappeared into the trees.

Jake wasn't at all happy with the sight that greeted him the next morning when he returned from patrols. He'd gone into the guest room to wake Hermione. He wanted to talk to her about the night before. Explain things to her. But when he walked into the room he saw Hermione and Harry laying together in the bed. His arms were wrapped tightly around her and her head was on his chest.

Jake's stomach turned, then clenched in knots. He was sick. He was angry. No he was livid. He didn't know what to do so he turned and left the room slamming the door behind him then continued to stomp out of the house.

Seth had seen that look before. He was next to Jake when he wolfed out and ran off after the wedding. He had that same look on his face as he did now, stomping from the house and heading toward the woods. Seth sprinted to catch his friend before he did something stupid.

"STOP!" Seth yelled, when he reached the treeline.

Jake rounded on him, anger in his eyes. "She's with him," he growled at his friend. "With Harry, in bed." Tears were brimming on his eyes.

Seth opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, and stood there silent.

"I can't fucking believe this!" Jake continued. "Just last night I heard her telling her friends that she liked ME! Me, not him! But then she went off on how soul mates were bullocks. And he came in and asked to talk to her and I went in there to talk to her before everyone woke up and we started training and she's all cuddled up next to him. IN BED! Him! Not me! Why is it never me?"

"Maybe it's not what you think," Seth pleaded.

"How could that not be what I think?"

Seth was silent longer this time before pleading with his friend, "Just don't do something drastic, please."

Jake glared at him.

"You don't have a choice," Seth reminded him. "You'll be whatever she needs. Right now she needs someone to help her fight this war."

It killed him to do it but Jake didn't speak to Hermione at all that morning. She tried to bring him lunch in the garage after morning training but he would speak a word to her. The rest of pack just stared, some glared, at her as she tried to speak to him and he ignored her. Eventually she gave up and left again. The silent treatment continued that afternoon as training continued. After dinner, Hermione sat on the porch waiting for him for two full hours before he walked out of the house and straight past her toward the beach without a word or a glance back.

"You know you're just proving her right?" Sirius asked as he approached the younger man sitting in the damp sand.

Jake didn't reply.

"It wasn't what it looked like. They've been doing it for years and it's never been anything more than friends comforting each other through hard times."

"She said they did it to comfort him after you died," Jake replied, not looking at the older man. "And obviously you're not dead anymore."

"No," Sirius shook his head as he too sat. "It started a year before that actually. Harry witnessed a classmate murdered. It was right before they all came to stay with me for the summer. By the time Harry got there he hadn't slept more than a few hours a night in months. He was having nightmares about it. The first night he was there 'Mione stayed up with him talking in the parlor. He was laying with his head in her lap. She was stroking his hair. They were just talking. Completely innocent. Then he fell asleep. They did that for two full weeks until Molly put a stop to it. The first night he tried to sleep away from her he woke the whole house with his night terrors."

"But why last night?"

"Ginny," Sirius answered easily. "Everyone saw that coming for years. Him falling for her that is. Not the her turning out to be a double agent willing to sell her best friend out and ending up tied in your tool shed. He thought he was going to marry her one day. Then he realized he had to break up with her to protect her. Then he found out he had to die to protect us all. Then he gets here and realizes it didn't matter what he did for her, she was selling him out too. The death eaters, Voldemort, they wouldn't have let Harry live no matter what they told Ginny. He thinks she knew as much. But what hurts him the most is knowing she wanted 'Mione dead. That's the way to get to him, you know? Through her. He does love her. Only as a sister but it is love."

"Sam said when they showed up here she was almost dead," Jake whispered. "Harry thought it was a trap and they were going to kill them. He pleaded with them to kill him and let her live. He wouldn't let her go for a second or out of his sight for days."

"Sounds about right," Sirius nodded.

"I'm an ass."

"You're a seventeen year old boy thrown into things that are far beyond his years," Sirius corrected. "A lot like the two of them actually. But you should probably go home and talk to her now."

Jake stood and dusted the sand from his shorts and legs. "Thanks."

a/n: What could possibly be going on now? Review please. Questions will be answered soon on the Leah imprint issue but not now.


	14. Chapter 14

"NO!" Hermione yelled as she stormed out the front door. The pack was still in the front yard along with a few of their new wizard friends. They all got suddenly quiet and stared at the two.

"Mione," Harry pleaded as he followed close behind. "Please, just, don't..." He trailed off looking around. Jake had told him about the telepathic link between himself and his pack members so Harry was already pretty sure they knew about the sacrifice he had to make but none of his own friends knew yet and he'd like to keep it that way for the time being.

"You can't ask me to do that! How could you?" she rounded on him with tears in her eyes.

Jake had been nearing the house when the scene started and picked up his pace at the commotion.

"Mione, please can we just...not talk about this here?" Harry continued to plead.

Hermione turned away from her friend to see Jake standing not five feet away from her. She simply glared at him and continued past, shoving him aside when he tried to stop her.

"Hey, 'Mione, wait!" Jake called behind her as he and Harry both ran to follow.

"Don't you dare try to follow me, Harold James!" she yelled rounding on him once more.

Harry stopped in his tracks, hurt apparent on his face as Jake continued after her.

"What in the name of Merlin was that, mate?" George asked, coming closer to Harry.

"You and Jakey-boy both decided to be sods to 'Mione on the same day?" Fred added.

"You wouldn't understand," Harry answered, defeated, as he slumped to the ground.

"At least Jake had a good reason," someone in the pack, though no one was sure who, grumbled.

"What's that?" George barked back.

"They fucking sleep together!" another wolf added.

"Jake's sleeping with 'Mione and that gives him a reason to treat her like shit?" Fred seethed, not sure if he was more angry that the shape shifter had defiled his friend or that he did it then treated her like dirt.

"Not her and Jake," Sam intervened. "Her and Harry."

The wizards in the vacinity-the twins, Charlie, and Harry's former dormmates-laughed at this.

"What's so funny?" Seth argued. "He was really hurt when he walked in on them this morning. You don't know what it was like the last time and he wasn't even really in love with Bella!"

"What's so funny," Charlie attempted to ease the tension, "is that Harry and Hermione do just that. Sleep! They've no interest in each other as more than friends."

"It's a comfort thing, mate," Neville told Seth. "Harry has night terrors." Harry blushed at this. "It's understandable considering the things he's been through. But the only time he doesn't wake us all up screaming is when 'Mione sleeps in the bed with him."

"They always left the curtains open at school," Seamus added. "She just kind of holds him. Me mam used to do that for me when I was sick. She strokes his hair and whispers comforting words to him."

"Seriously do we have to tell a bunch of strangers how much of a mess I am?" Harry growled, standing now.

The pack looked at him for a moment puzzled, then one by one realization seemed to dawn on them all. It made sense now. The way he screamed when he thought they were going to kill her. The way he protected her. The way she protected him.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of Harry," Leah finally told him, speaking up from the back of the group.

"Yeah," Seth added. "When our dad died I couldn't sleep alone for the first month. Slept with Leah almost every night. Sorry we blew it out of proportion."

"Damn, you're fast," Jake panted. He'd had to sprint to catch up with her. When she was almost within his reach she somehow ran faster. When she finally stopped they were standing at the edge of the cliff where Jake and his friends would jump in a show of masculinity and strength.

Hermione glared at him a moment before turning back to the water. It made him nervous so he took a few steps closer, just in case. She didn't seem the type to try to hurt herself but he wouldn't of thought that of Bella either when she took the same plunge a year earlier. His mind was eased slightly when Hermione sank to the ground only to be troubled again when she started to shake with sobs and shiver from being out in the cold rain in her night clothes.

Jake closed the distance between them quickly and sat slightly behind her, pulling her small frame into his lap and cradling her there, wrapping his arms tightly around her to provide warmth.

"What happened back there?" he whispered after five full minutes of silence.

Her words were a mumbled slur causing him to cradle her cheek in his hand and lift her head away from his chest. "Come again?"

"He asked me to kill him!"

He wasn't sure what to say to that so instead he stared at her, wide eyed with a horrified expression on his face.

"When...when he...when he kills the Dark Lord the last bit of soul that's still inside Harry will start to take over his body until Harry's pushed out and only the evil's left and he...he wants me to kill him when it does...or rather before it does. How could he ask me to do that? How can I do that?"

Like so many other times since he'd met his father's cousin's friends, Jake was horrified into silence. He simply held her close to him until she calmed down and eventually fell asleep, then a while longer. Finally, when he heard people in the woods behind them searching he stood and walked home with her asleep in his arms.

a/n: Another update. Already have another crossover idea running through my brain so trying to finish a story or two before posting a new one.


	15. Chapter 15

"Take over my patrol for me tonight?" Jake asked no one in particular when he returned home.

Leah nodded and walked into the woods behind the house as Jake continued into the house without a look behind him. He walked straight past the worried witches and wizards in his living room, past his father, past his cousin, past the elders, past Charlie, and straight up to Harry. "We need to talk!" he practically growled before continuing into his own bedroom.

Harry followed him into the room. The door was barely closed when Jake rounded on him a death glare in his eyes. "You. Asked. Her. To..."

"Don't say it," Harry warned, cutting him off.

"Why?" he growled. "You did!"

"I know but you don't understand," Harry told him. "Scourgify. I need her to-"

"I can do it," Jake offered, not even noticing that he was now clean and dry.

Harry let out a deep sigh, taking Hermione from Jake's arms and placing her in his bed. "She'd hate you forever," Harry replied as Hermione whimpered and reached out in her sleep.

"Better me than herself!" Jake argued back taking her hand gently in his own.

"You told me I could count on you," Harry reminded him. "You said you'd protect her, help her grieve and move on!"

"You said you had to die!" Jake reminded him now. "Not that you wanted her to be the one to kill you!"

"It has to be someone I love. I need it to be someone I love and someone who loves me. She won't drag it on. She'll-"

"Why can't it be Sirius? He knows you have to die. He told me himself!" Jake questioned.

"He won't be able to. He loves me too much."

"And she doesn't?"

"I'm just me to her," Harry explained. "I'm only one person. Sirius doesn't just see me. I'm not just his godson. He sees my dad everytime he looks at me. He's sees his best friend as well. Hell, sometimes he even calls me 'James.' I can't ask him to do it because I don't trust him to commplete it when the time comes."

"But-"

"I won't be me," Harry pleaded. "She's seen it before. The night Sirius died. He got in. He took over. He'll do it again. He'll use my body to hurt people. To kill people. Maybe even her!"

"Just leave," Jake finally told him. Harry looked at him puzzled as he turned away to sift through his drawers for a clean pair of mesh shorts to sleep in. "Goodbye," Jake told him with a pointed look as he escorted him to the door. He continued out as well, changed in the bathroom, and returned moments later to find Sirius in the room, trying to lift Hermione out of bed. "She's staying here tonight," Jake told him.

"We already discussed this-"

"And I agreed to it as well until she begged me to stay with her tonight. Everyone's so concerned about what Harry needs. What about what she needs? She's sleeping here tonight," Jake told him again, taking Hermione back into his arms and laying them both down in the bed.

Hermione reached out in her sleep. It was the next morning and she suddenly started having nightmares. She didn't know why as she began thrashing and finally her eyes shot open just as she saw herself...She didn't want to think about it.

There was a note on the pillow next to her own.

_Hermione,_

_I had to go on patrol early this morning. I'll be back by lunch and we can talk about yesterday and how muchof an ass I was if you want. I really am sorry_._ See you soon._

_Love, _

_Jake_

She had to read it three times before she could finish. Her eyes were still puffy and sore from crying herself to sleep the night before. Even the weak morning light was too bright for them. She didn't want to leave the room, see her friends, Remus, Sirius, the Weasleys, Jake's family, his friends. She'd never broken down like that before. Well, maybe once or twice alone in Moaning Myrtle's loo but never so publicly. She didn't even want them to know she was awake.

That created quite a predicament considering she was still in her night clothes and rather cold and uncomfortable. Luckily one thing she did have was her wand. She considered summoning some of her own clothing to the room but knew the flying garments would draw some attention to herself. There was only one other option she could think of as she stood from her bed and crossed the room to Jake's dresser. Searching through every drawer it took till the last drawer until she found what she was looking for. There, tucked away in the back of the bottom drawer were smaller and intact clothing from before Jake's first transformation. Reaching in she pulled out the smallest jeans and tee-shirt she could find. Pulling them on, they were still far too big for her. The jeans still completely covered her feet and the shirt fit like a dress. They hung from her body and the pants fell from her waist.

Pointing her wand at herself she shrunk the clothes until they fit, doing the same to a sweatshirt that she'd laid out on the bed before pulling it over her head. Finally warm and comfortable, she sat in the middle of the bed and waited.

The sun rose and shined dimly into the window. Another gloomy day in Western Washington. She could here people moving around, making breakfast, eating breakfast, gathering for briefings, strategizing, training. They tried to wake her, pounding on the door, hoping to get her to come out. She silenced it. They tried to enter and coax her out. She locked the door with the strongest charm she knew. She kept the window closed and locked with the blinds and curtains closed tight. And she waited.

Jake passed the house multiple times on his patrol that morning when he knew people would be up and moving around. He hoped to see Hermione. See her eating on the porch with Harry, Neville and Luna, or training with the other witches and wizards, or laughing with Fred and George, or discussing strategy with Dean and Seamus. But he didn't. At first is walk bys were once an hour but after the first few hours of not seeing her, he began to pass by every half hour then every fifteen minutes. He still didn't see her. By the time he finished his patrols at noon he was worried sick. Why hadn't she come out. She was so intent on training with her friends. She wanted to practice. She wanted to fight.

He left the woods in a jog, heading straight for the house, his two best friends close behind him. They'd been patrolling together. They'd heard about Harry's request and were horrified. They couldn't imagine being asked to do the same thing. They felt for the girl but more than that, they felt for their friend. All his worry wasn't doing him any good.

"She hasn't come out all day," Billy told his son as soon as he burst through the front door. "She's not answering the door and she's not letting us in."

"She's charmed it shut and silenced it," George told him, handing him two plates. "One's for you. Mum's hoping you can get her to take the other one." He looked sick himself. "What the hell happened last night?"

Jake didn't answer as he handed the plates to Quil and motioned for his friend to follow.


	16. Chapter 16

Jake and his friends made their way back through the front door and around the corner to his own bedroom window. He knocked but she didn't answer. He tried to slide it open but it was locked. So he did something that only the three of them knew how to do. Taking a rusted flathead screwdriver from under a rock Jake pried the glass out of the frame. They'd done it as children, after Jake's parents told him to stop leaving his window unlocked for Embry to sneak in at night. So they came up with the solution of removing the molding from the frame so the entire window slid out easily. Yes, it would've been easier to just keep leaving the window unlocked and lie to his parents about it but Jake couldn't stand the idea of lieing to his mother. This was a much better solution in the opinion of eleven year old Jake.

He effortlessly pried the window out and silently he and Embry lifted it away before he crawled through and reached back for the plates. Embry and Quil followed as Hermione stared at the three from her spot on the bed.

"George asked me to bring you lunch," Jake told her easily, as if he hadn't just silently entered through a locked window. "He looks sick. I think he's worried about you."

Hermione nodded.

"You alright?" Embry asked. He hadn't really talked to her before, only a few words every once in a while. It was understandable. She was seriously injured when she got there, unconscious for the first couple days, bed ridden a couple more, then training wolves and wizards to fight in a war. He felt like he'd talked to her though. He felt like he'd had multiple conversations with his best friend's...whatever she was. All because he'd been able to hear her words everytime his friend replayed them in his own mind while in his wolf form.

She only nodded again.

"Is that my sweatshirt?" Jake asked, sitting next to her on the bed and erging her to eat.

"I didn't want to see anyone so I shrunk your clothes so I didn't have to leave the room to get dressed," she practically whispered as she pushed the food around on her plate. "I'll fix them later. I'm sorry for taking them without asking."

"Don't worry about it," he assured her. "I haven't fit in them for a while. And they never looked that good on me. Why didn't you want to see anyone?"

"Because I've embarrassed myself completely with my tantrum last night," Hermione told him, blushing from embarrassment.

"That was a tantrum?" Quil asked.

"Well what else would you call it?"

"You being pissed off that your best friend asked you to do something that you should never have to do?" Embry offered.

"Seriously, if Jake asked me to do that I don't know how I'd react."

"Except maybe to do it right then and there because we're so damn angry he'd even consider it."

"You shouldn't be embarrassed," Quil finished.

"I have to do it though," Hermione barely whispered.

They all looked at her horrified.

"I don't want to," she told them. "I have to. He needs me to do it and I can't let that thing take him over again. He has to die. I've known it for a long time. That doesn't make it easier but if he's willing to make the sacrafice of giving his life, maybe I should be willing to make the sacrafice of taking it."

They were all quiet a long time.

"I think maybe we should leave," Embry finally broke the silence, grabbing Quil's arm and pulling him toward the window which they easily slipped out of and replaced.

"Are you sure you can live with that?" Jake asked when they were alone.

"No, but I'm sure no one else will if I don't do it."

"Are you going to leave the room now?"

"Do I have to?"

"I think you've made enough sacrafices today," Jake answered wrapping an arm around her waist. "I'd say you don't have to do anything else you don't want to."

"Good. Can you do me a favor?"

"Anything."

"Can you go get my bag from Harry's room? I need to do some reading."

"I'll be right back," he replied, swiftly kissing her on the forehead before running from the room.


	17. Chapter 17

Jake returned to see a group of Hermione's friends crowded around the door to his bedroom looking dejected.

"She's not letting us in still," Neville told him as he made his way to the front. "Could you talk to her?"

"Already did. Just give her a day."

"What'd Potter say to get her so angry?" Seamus asked.

"That's personal," Jake explained as he pushed into the room, closing and locking the door behind him.

"Thank you," Hermione told him taking the bag from his hand.

Jake plopped into bed next to her. "Anytime."

"So...yesterday?" she asked, remembering the note he'd left for her that morning.

Groaning, Jake fell backwards onto the bed his hands behind his head. He mumbled something causing Hermione to turn around, facing him and lay down, their stomachs pressed together, her head laying on her neatly folded hands which were on his well toned chest.

"Come again?"

"I saw you and Harry in bed together and I got jealous. I thought that maybe you were lieing when you told me nothing was going on between you two," Jake explained, still feeling like an idiot for jumping to conclusion but enjoying the current position in which he found himself.

Hermione looked hurt and unsure. "But, I already told you about that," she whispered.

"I know," he confirmed. "You did and I know it was stupid of me to react that way but...but I heard you talking to your friends the night before about how I...uh...how I hadn't kissed you yet and I thought...well I don't really know what I thought."

Hermione was blushing now. "Oh, that." She turned slightly.

Fearing she might sit up her moved his arms away from his head and around her back, pinning her to him. "I want to," he continued. "Really badly. But I want it to be perfect. You deserve perfect and after that guy interrupted us in the woods the other night I couldn't find any more perfect time."

"It doesn't need to be perfect, you know? As long as it's you."

That was all the erging he needed as he cupped her cheek in his large hand and moved to close the distance between them.

"Mione," Harry said as he walked into the room. "I really need to talk to you about last night. Oh, uh, sorry."

"Damnit!" Jake growled throwing himself back on the bed again.

"I'll do it," Hermione told him barely looking over her shoulder. "Leave."

"Don't you want to talk about it?" Harry questioned, sounding slightly hurt.

"I can't even look at you right now," she replied and turned away until she heard the door close behind him.

Laying her head back down on Jake's chest, her body started to shake with tears.

It didn't take long for the whole pack to know Hermione's exact reason for the outburst in Billy's front yard. The following night, after patrolling with Jake all morning, Quil agreed to take over another patrol for his alpha. Hermione still hadn't left the room and Jake was intent on spending that time with her alone. Quil was worried about her and he was worried for his friend as well so he didn't think twice about agreeing to patrol that night.

Paul, Jared, and Seth patrolled with him and heard the whole story through his thoughts which no matter how he tried he couldn't stop from wondering back to how he'd react in the same situation. When Leah and Collin took over the patrol the next morning they heard all about it in the brief moments that they were in the heads of the other four. It seemed once they heard it once it was all they could think about all night. That afternoon, Sam and Brady heard it in the same manner as they relieved the morning shift of their duties. And it was done. No one looked at Hermione or Harry the same that evening when they met for training after dinner.

Jake was patrolling again that night along with three others. They always had more wolves patrol at night, knowing it would be the ideal time for an attack. Along with the wolves the wizards stood guard in shifts, wands constantly at the ready. And from the complaints of the pack, the wizards knew that just outside the reservation the Cullens were prepared for battle as well. Not needing to sleep, the vampires were there at all times, only taking breaks to eat, and in the case of Carlisle, keep up appearances by going to work.

Instead of feeling comforted by the amount of people willing to fight this battle, Hermione was only more afraid. When it was herself and Harry it seemed alright. They were willing to die for each other, to die for the cause but she felt ashamed to ask all of these people to be willing to do the same. Not after her own parents had done the same thing less than a year ago.

The looks of pity from Jake's pack weren't doing much to ease her troubled mind. And now she'd done something she hadn't done in a long time. She thought about it all. All the people who would die. All the people who had died. Her parents!

She stood as quickly as possible, feeling the warm prickle of tears trying to betray her. She did all she could think of. She ran away from the porch swing where she'd been sitting with the Weasleys, Luna, Neville and Harry. She crossed the yard as quickly as possible and she slammed the door to the garage shut just in time to keep them all from seeing her break down.

It was five minutes before she heard a sound other than her own sobs. The door creaked open and the lights flickered on. "Oh, I'm sorry," the pretty Native woman told her. "I didn't mean to interrupt. I just needed to get away a moment. I'm Leah."

Hermione knew who she was and thanks to Jake she knew the girl's secret as well.

"Is it about Harry?" she continued. "What he asked you to do?"

Hermione shook her head this time. "No."

"Do you mind if I ask why then? You don't have to tell me of course but I thought maybe it could help."

"I don't want anyone else to die for this," Hermione choked out, pulling her knees to her chest. "Harry has to. I was always willing to but my friends, the Weasleys, all of you? My...my parents already did. I can't ask anyone else that I care about..."

"Do you know why we hate the leaches so much?" Leah asked after a long moment of silence.

"Because vampires and werewolves are natural enemies and even though you aren't technically werewolves, as shapeshifter that take on the form of a wolf the tendancy is deeply ingrained in your being."

"Wow," Leah giggled, "Jake was right. You are smart. But no. That's not it really. They showed up and everything changed. We wouldn't be this way if they weren't here. Sam and I were engaged, did you know?" Hermione shook her head no. "First loves, high school sweethearts. Then I had to watch as he fell in love with my cousin and she fell hard right back. And I was so angry at them but I still loved them both so much that my anger towards the Cullens grew a hundred times stronger until it was pure hatred. It's ingrained in the men, hating them, because no woman has ever changed before. Sure they all stay away from them but they don't hate them. But I hated them and I let the hatred take over. And then I changed. In my living room in front of my whole family and the shock of it killed my dad. We all expected Seth to change in a few years but I'm the first woman to do it. Seeing our dad die was the push Seth needed. It made him angry and he changed too. They took so much from us. That's why we hate them. I know it's not exactly the same but I know what it feels like, to feel responsible for the death of someone you love. But if it helps any, my mom still loves me. She swears it's not my fault that dad died. Seth doesn't blame me either and if he did I'd be able to tell. They know that my dad loved me. That the reason he was shocked into a heart attack was because he only wanted the best for me and didn't think this was it. I imagine that's the same reason your parents would be willing to sacrifice themselves. Because they want you to have the chance for a future and a happy life."

Neither of them noticed the door open, then close until someone cleared his throat to the side. It was George. Hermione only knew because she shot her head to the side as he was still doing it and the man to make the sound only had one ear. Fred was by his side, as per usual.

"I'm sorry," George told them both. Knowing him for so long, Hermione had never seen that look in his eyes before. It was pain, sorrow, love, and embarrassment all rolled into one. She'd never heard a more sincere apology from a Weasley twin. "We just wanted to check on 'Mione. We didn't mean to hear all of that."

Leah blushed and turned away.

"Mione," Fred asked, "do you want to talk about it? Or not talk about it? I know I don't seem like it but I'm a good listener. An even better hugger."

Hermione nodded and made her way toward the door, passing Leah on the way she whispered her thanks before giving George a hug and leaving with Fred's arm around her shoulder.

"Georgie, maybe you could stay and keep Leah company," Fred suggested, barely hiding his delight at the deep crimson color his twin had turned at the suggestion.

a/n: Sorry for the delay. Please review.


	18. Chapter 18

"There's no need to be shy around him," Hermione whispered to Leah the next afternoon after a particularly grueling training session. "He likes you."

"George?" Leah asked, blushing.

"Yes. Of course George! Who else? I've never seen him blush before last night."

"Maybe he just felt bad hearing all those things," Leah suggested.

"Oh, I've no doubt he does. He doesn't make it known but he's quite sensitive and does very much care about others' feelings even if he doesn't care for their opinions of himself. But last night he was blushing because Fred left him alone with you and for the first time ever he had no idea what to say."

"And how do you know all this?" Leah asked, trying to mask the hope in her voice with little success.

"They tell me things. Last night, for instance, after Fred comforted me about the loss of my parents and lectured me about not sharing it with any of them he informed me of George's little crush on you. Or rather that he thought you were the most beautiful woman he'd ever met and the kindness you've shown him the past few days was very comforting. Not to mention your willingness to return home to protect your tribe and help us being exactly something he'd do himself," Hermione practically sang the words.

Leah looked over at George who sat across the yard, eating and talking with his brother and their friend, Lee. He looked up in time to see her staring and they both turned away blushing. His deepened when Lee made an inaudible joke and he and Fred both laughed at George's expense.

"I'm a freak, though," Leah told her, still blushing and looking down.

"So am I," Hermione argued. "It didn't stop him from loving me."

"It's not the same."

"You're right except for the fact that you're completely wrong! I'm a muggle born. I'm not supposed to have powers but I do. You say you're not supposed to have powers but you do. The Weasleys, well most of them anyway, don't see it as being freaks. They see it as being extraordinary. Besides, if he were to walk into that little town not too far from here and pull out his wand, wouldn't he be just as much of a freak?"

Leah was silent.

"Talk to him," Hermione erged.

"I don't know how."

"George!" Hermione called, waving her friend over.

"Hey, 'Mione!" he greeted hugging her. "What's up?"

"I was just wondering if you and Fred have made anymore products for us?" she lied easily though he did suspect it.

"Loads," he answered, sitting across from her. "We've got Extendable Ears, Peruvian Powder, we're experimenting with a new type of armor and some other potions to improve physical ability. And there's always the skiving snackboxes to somehow slip to the other side before the fight and-"

"Hey," Jake greeted as he exited the house, having just woken up from patrolling the night before. "Wanna go for a walk before afternoon training?"

"Sure," Hermione answered with a bright smile, leaving without another word.

"I think she planned that," George confided after a moment of silence. "She's a lot more cunning than she likes to let on you know?"

"I'm starting to see that myself," Leah laughed slightly.

"I really am sorry for last night," George told her causing her to blush again.

"I already told you it was fine. You don't have to keep apologizing."

"I know. It's just...I don't really know what to say to you."

She stayed silent.

"And it's not like you give me much to work with!" he continued. "Really, normally I'm very charming. Ask anyone!"

"I guess I just don't know what to say to you either," Leah whispered.

George nodded. "Do you want to go for a walk? My brother staring at us can't be much help."

Leah nodded and stood, leaving the porch with George close behind.

"Did you do that on purpose?" Jake asked when he and Hermione were far from the house. She'd asked him to take her down to the beach and against his better judgement he'd agreed. He was with her and could protect her if he needed to, not that she'd really need much protection. "Leaving Leah and George together like that?"

"How was I to know you'd come outside and ask me to walk with you?" she feigned innocence.

Jake only laughed and casually slung his arm across her shoulders. "You're kind of devious," he practically cooed in her ear. "I love it!"

She laughed right back, leaning into him slightly. "Well someone had to do something. She wasn't being as assertive as you were and I have no bloody idea what's wrong with George. He's never acted like this before. It really is lovely here," she finished as they looked out over the tranquil water.

Jake dusted off an overly large piece of drift wood and motioned for her to sit, taking the spot next to her when she did. "Lovely enough that you might consider staying?" he asked hopefully, fearing he was moving too fast but not being able to stop himself.

"You know I can't," she replied, regretfully. "I have to fight."

"And so do I," he corrected, "but I meant after?" She mumbled something he didn't understand. "What was that?"

"I said, 'I think I'd like that very much'," she repeated, looking him in the eyes as she said it.

Jake smiled as he cupped her cheeks, one in each hand. Slowly he lowered his face to hers and kissed her ever so lightly on the lips. Pulling back he smiled. "I love you," he told her before leaning in again.

"I love you too," she whispered back when they seperated again.

He didn't think it was possible to smile larger than he had after that first small peck but it must've been because he was now as he lowered his face to her's a third time.

a/n: Review.


	19. Chapter 19

There was so much going on when they returned that neither of them knew how to react so they just stood there, confused, observing the commotion.

Luna was the first to approach them and the look on her face spoke volumes. "Ginny's escaped," she told them a mixture of fear, anger, and determination in her eyes. "Harry's said to get some sleep. We attack at Hogwarts at dawn."

"Hogwarts?" Hermione whispered before nodding. Luna gave her hand a quick squeeze before walking away. Hermione turned toward Jake, unsure of what to say or do.

"Go to him," Jake told her. "He needs you now."

"But-"

"You're wondering what if this is the last time we'll see each other," he told her somehow knowing her exact thoughts. She nodded. "You love me," he continued. "That's all I want. If there's one thing we both know about this it's that he's not coming out of it. You and I both have a chance. He needs you now."

Hermione hesitated another moment before standing on her toes to kiss him one final time.

He watched as she walked away. It only took seconds for her to get lost in the commotion.

"I'm going home to Em," Sam told him a moment later. "The other's are going to see their loved ones too. We'll be back here by 8:30." It was two in the afternoon now.

Jake nodded.

"What are you going to do?"

"Watch the game with my dad," Jake replied, dazed slightly. "See you soon."

Sam nodded and with that Jake watched again as his pack also disappeared from sight.

"I need to talk to you." Neville seemed to emerge from nowhere and grab Jake by the arm, pulling him toward the shed.

Jake thought about arguing, wanting more than just about anything to spend one more night watching Monday night football with his dad and Charlie who he knew would both be waiting for him. The only thing he wanted more was Hermione but he knew right now that she needed Harry more than she wanted him.

It was almost funny that he wanted to be watching the game so badly at the moment. He'd always thought he hated it. He only did it after his mom passed away and his sisters left. His dad got lonely and he knew the older man needed the company that his sole family member could provide. He didn't however know how important it had become to him over the years.

He decided not to argue and simply turned and followed Neville. Once inside he saw two others-Dean and Seamus-sitting on his work bench.

"What did you mean by: If there's one thing we both know about this it's that he's not coming out of it?" Seamus asked as soon as the door was closed.

"Is that what 'Mione's been so upset about?" Dean continued.

Jake exhaled a deep, audible breath.

"We might be able to help," Neville urged.

"HELP?" Jake exploded. "You think you can help! He wants her to kill him and you think you can help?"

The other three men looked horrified. "What do you mean he wants her to kill him?" Neville asked again.

Jake went on to explain the entire story to them and swearing them to secrecy.

After a long moment of silence Jake looked at them hopefully. "Can you help?" he pleaded.

The others somberly shook their heads. "It has to happen," Dean barely whispered, looking away.

"The best we can do is promise that..." Neville trailed off not wanting to present the possibility. "If Hermione dies before it's time and I'm still alive, I'll do it myself," he looked away and Jake chose to ignore the tears he was obviously trying to hide.

"Or I will," Seamus offered.

"Or me" Dean confirmed.

They were quiet again for a moment until Neville broke the silence. "I need you to hold still," he told Jake, taking his wand from his pocket.

"What the hell do you plan on doing with that?" Jake asked as Neville brought the wand to Jake's temple.

"Duplicate the memories of when each of them told you. Evidence. I'll keep it safe during the battle and if there are any doubts about her motivation we have proof."

"Make us copies, too," Dean urged. "Just in case."

Neville nodded as he performed the task.

Only moments after he lowered the wand, Billy voice boomed across the yard.

"JAKE! You coming in to watch the game or what? Charlie and I are waiting."

The hours flew by and soon everyone was congregated back in front of the Black house. There were just over sixty in all that would be able to fight. After a long argument Tonks and Fleur had agreed to stay behind, both being pregnant a battle would be far too dangerous for them at the moment. It was the biggest army any of the wolves had seen though they were informed that it was miniscule compared to the Dark Lord's troops.

Everyone, including the pack and the tribal elders, looked to Harry expectantly as Hermione stood by his side. Her eyes were red and puffy. The pack and now three others looked at her with sorrowful eyes. She tried to ignore it as she nudged Harry, signalling that they expected him to speak.

"Well, um, thank you, I suppose, for the hospitality and your willingness to risk your own safety for the sake of our world. This isn't just my war. It's taken me a while to see that the people fighting next to me," he paused looking toward Hermione, Sirius, and the Weasleys before settling back on Hermione again and squeezing her hand, "aren't just fighting and dying for me. It's for a cause. A cause that began long before any of us were born and no matter the outcome of this battle, a cause I'm sure will continue long after we're gone. Just remember, no matter what any of us does today, we do it to strengthen our cause. We're doing it for the greater good of all wizards, all magical creatures, all human kind." He squeezed Hermione's hand again as she let out a quiet whimper. "I can't think of people I'd rather have fighting by my side. You all know the plan. You all know the battle strategy. There's nothing else to say but good luck."

A slow clap sounded in the distance. "Very inspiring stuff, Potter," a familiar voice sneered from the back of the crowd. "Too bad it's all for nothing. No one is making it out of here alive." Ron Weasley pointed his wand straight at Hermione. "Especially that little mudblood. Avada K-"

It happened so fast no one saw it coming. Jake had been standing about halfway through the crowd going over some last minute details with Seth. He was doing anything and everything he could to keep his young friend safe short of demanding he stay behind. But then he felt a sharp pain in his heart and even before Ron pointed his wand or said anything, Jake knew that Hermione was in danger. He phased in the middle of the crowd and leapt over the group, taking out a chunk of the wizard's neck before they even hit the ground.

It would be the first casualty of a long, bloody night.

a/n: I got a review this morning that kind of pissed me off. They started off by insulting my writing style and ending by trying to compliment me for a story that I didn't even write. Here is a response to that reviewer along with excerpts of the review itself.

First things first: Harry's name is just that: Harry. It's not short for Harold or anything else.

First things first: This is a fic! It is not based entirely on the books therefore I am using a little creative license to change the name slightly. I can do that and I DID do that. If it bothers you, don't read it.  
>Next: Most people call Jacob Black 'Jake'. No need to use his full name all the time :)<p>

Next: I used the full name for a reason. It's the same reason that I use other character's full names. I feel it adds some suspense/intrigue to the story. Other than that it is just the way that I write and I have received many commpliments for my writing style, both on here and in life. Once again, if it bothers you feel free not to continue reading. :)  
>Third: Small mistake: You said 'Jerrod'. It's Jared.<p>

Third: Now you're just getting nit-picky! Do you know what I think of reviewers like you? Either you are so young and inexperienced in life that you truely BELIEVE your possibly unintentionally rude comments are helpful or you really have nothing better to do with your life than pick fights with people you will never see in real life, most likely because if you were to pick the fight in real life you would be shut down just like you are now. For the third and final time: FEEL FREE TO STOP READING!

But keep in mind if you continue to read and continue to be rude, I will block you and I DON"T CARE how many of my other stories you are enjoying you WILL NOT get to read any of them. 


	20. Chapter 20

The battle raged. It was hours. Charlie and Billy set to work evacuating the residents of the reservation as soon as Jake phased back. From there the fighters paired off with their fighting partners and positioned themselves around the perimeter of the reservation, or tried to.

It happened pretty quickly. Luckily they had a warning system in place from the start to get people out. What with backroads, little known trails, and vampire allies waiting to escort them to safety it was an easy relocation.

It took only minutes for the Death Eaters to arrive firing curses. Luckily the new fighting plan Harry and Hermione had devised did the trick. Now, hours into battle, the number of Death Eaters was dwindling to nearly nothing. It was Voldemort and a few of his most trusted Generals against the whole Order of the Phoenix, Dumbledore's Army, and the wolf pack. Still it was tense as Harry squared off with Voldemort. There were only three pieces left of his soul and he seemed to sense it. He was desperate. He was crazy. He had his remaining troops guarding that damn snake with their lives and Harry wouldn't make his move till it was dead.

That was the focus of many of the troops for the Light. There were a few wolves with them as well. Hermione, Sirius, and Remus refused to leave Harry's side. Jake wouldn't leave Hermione. Tonks was inside with McGonagall and Pomfrey tending to the injured.

Finally, a break. Draco Malfoy, obviously exhausted and the youngest Death Eater still living, faltered then fell leaving a hole just large enough for Neville to slip in. And the task was done, Nagini was dead and Neville was out, looking at the thing he held in his hand, shocked. Gryffindor's sword. Moments later a curse was hurled his way and he dropped it in favor of his wand. But the curse wasn't directed at him. It was directed at Malfoy. The blond now lay dead, killed by his own aunt for failing in his task.

After that it only took moments.

Bellatrix was distracted by her anger and it only took a second for someone to send the killing curse her way. And finally Voldemort was the last one standing. He didn't hesitate. But Harry was still faster.

"Protego!"

"Avada Kedavra!"

Voldemort's curse backfired off of Harry's protection charm and The-One-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named fell to the ground in a heap of billowing black robes.

A collective cheer went up. Only a few remained silent. The wolves, who'd changed back and dressed in seconds, were among them. Hermione who was standing close to Harry, her wand clenched tightly from nerves and her body already shaking with silent sobs, was another. Jake was swift to pull her aside and place himself between them. Neville was quiet, stepping closer to her. Dean and Seamus were already approaching from the other side. And the twins were quiet. It seemed strange to Hermione. She'd expected them to be the loudest in the cheering crowd.

"I love you, 'Mione," Harry whispered.

"I know," she barely gasped in response.

"I'm sorry," he told her. Seconds later his eyes flashed. It was the same look he'd given her in the lobby of the Ministry when he was face-to-face with and possessed by Voldemort.

"Filthy mudblood," he hissed.

The cheers quieted.

"You think he loves you," Harry shouted.

They were surrounded by silence.

"Move Jake," Hermione ordered pushing herself back in front of him. "I have to..." She was shaking, barely able to lift her wand arm.

The crowd was whispering now, wondering what was going on.

"Do it, Hermione," Harry pleaded, his eyes soft and full of tears. "Please!"

"Harry, I..."

"She can't do it," he sneered, moving his neck in an inhuman way, his eyes snakelike slits again. "She's too weak."

"Hermione, I-" Dean offered, stepping to her side.

"No!" she yelled, frantic. "It has to be me! You don't understand!"

"Hermione," Harry pleaded again, "it's okay. I forgive you!"

Hermione flicked her wrist and whispered the incantation then lunged forward and caught her friend before he hit the hard rock of the driveway.

The crowd was silent again as Hermione attempted to carry him inside. Seeing her struggle, the twins stepped in.


	21. Chapter 21

"I need to see her," Kingsley told Sirius as he stood guard outside Jake's bedroom.

"That's not going to happen," Sirius practically growled. Even after years of semi-freedom he didn't trust the ministry police. He didn't know why Hermione killed Harry but they all saw him change. "I remember when the Ministry needed to see me."

"Sirius, this is me we're talking about."

"It doesn't matter."

It had been an hour and many were still sitting in the front yard, too shocked to move or even speak. Others were repairing houses around the reservation. Hermione hauled herself up in Jakes room with a very powerful spell holding the door shut. Harry lay motionless on the bed. No one else was in the room. Judging by their reaction to Voldemort's death there were a few person's of interest seperated from each other and the group. Jake, Fred, George, Neville, Seamus, and Dean were seperated into different houses throughout the reservation and were currently being questioned by Ministry officials.

"I just need her side of the story."

"Not happening!"

"Don't you want answers?"

"Of course I do," Sirius snapped. "I want to know what happened. I want to know why he was begging her, why she said it had to be her, and why he knew he had to forgive her. But most of all I want to know why my godson is dead! And I'll get those answers when she's ready to give them. I'm not letting you in there to question her until I have some assurances!"

Jake nodded at Sirius as he approached his bedroom.

"How'd the questioning go?" Sirius asked.

"They watched that memory that Neville took from my brain, made me take that potion that forces you to tell the truth, then let me come back here," Jake replied, his hand on the knob.

"What..." Sirius hesiated a moment. "What is the truth?"

"Harry was a horcrux-I think that's the word-that...that thing left a piece of his soul in Harry the day he killed his parents. He'd been doing it for a while but Dumbledore didn't think he meant to with Harry. It was-"

"His way of staying alive." Sirius cut him off. "I've heard of them."

"Harry was the last one," Jake informed him. "That's what they've been doing this past year. Hunting them down and getting rid of them. I guess it was sometime after Ron left that they figured it out. They, uh, they made this plan to get rid of them all and kill Voldemort then Harry...Harry wanted her to..."

"To kill him."

"Eliminate the threat," Jake replied. "He told me about it himself. He said he needed it to be her because he needed it to be someone who really, truly loved him."

Sirius simply nodded. "Was it the same experience for the others?"

Jake shrugged. "They let me go and I came straight back to check on her."

Sirius simply let him pass.

"It's time," Kingsley told Sirius the following morning. "We've spoken with all the boys. We have an idea of what happened. We have to speak with her."

Hermione and Jake hadn't left his room all night.

Sirius seemed to consider it a while. "I will be there, the entire time. Remus as well. It will be done in the room so she doesn't have to leave him. If I don't like the questions, she doesn't answer them."

Kingsley let out a heavy sigh. "Now that you bring it up, don't you think it's time to...to move him."

Sirius was the one to let out a heavy sigh this time. He didn't answer. He simply turned toward the door as Remus made his way down the hall with two mugs of coffee. "Mione," he called into the room while knocking on the door, "Kingsley's out here. He needs to talk to you."

He tried the knob and this time it opened.

"Bloody hell, it's cold in here," Sirius shivered as they entered.

"I'm staying," Jake informed them.

"I figured you were," Sirius replied.

"Mione," Kingsley started, pity in his voice, "after speaking with Jacob and the other boys, I understand your situation and wanted to inform you that no charges will be brought against you."

Hermione simply nodded and continued to look past him toward the bed.

"I only have one question. What spell was it? It wasn't the killing curse."

That seemed to snap Hermione out of it, at least for a moment. She turned and picked a small handbag up from the dresser behind her and started digging inside. Moments later she produce a large book and opened it to an earmarked page. "I found it in the Black library," she shrugged and turned back toward the bed.

"That's ancient magic," Sirius said, looking at the book.

Hermione nodded. "I practiced it on insects in the forest," she explained. "I always sort of expected it would come to this."

"But this means..."


	22. Chapter 22

Hermione barely left Jake's room for another three days, only to use the restroom before returning quickly. She didn't let anyone take Harry's body. Jake was the only visitor she'd see.

On the fourth day, while Jake was getting her breakfast from the kitchen-a kind gesture though she hadn't touched a bite of food-she heard a stir. She rushed to the bed just as his eyes began to open.

"Merlin, no!" Harry cried. "What happened? How are you-"

Hermione cut him off, throwing her arms around his neck. He held tight to her as well.

"I missed you so much," she cried as she lay down in bed next to him.

"But...I don't understand," Harry replied as he lay back down and wrapped his arms around Hermione pulling her closer to him as she explained the situation.

George was walking with Jake as he returned to the room, trying to get information on Hermione. Everyone was starting to worry.

He stopped short when Jake opened the door, pulling the Native back. Jake gave him a questioning look to which George simply gestured for him to remain quiet. Jake stepped back.

"That's Harry," George whispered before bursting through the door to affirm his assumption. "IT'S HARRY! IT'S HARRY!" George shouted as he threw himself on the bed and wrapped his arms around both of them.

Jake simply stood by the door laughing at the sight. He'd heard what Sirius said days earlier about the possibility that Harry could just sort of wake up. They'd chosen to keep it quiet so as not to get anyone's hopes up. It had been centuries since that spell had been used and there was no definitive way of knowing if it would work out the way they all hoped.

It only took moments for the other occupants of the house to push through the door, shoving Jake inside as well. Jake watched from the corner as they all cheered and piled onto his bed. He only flinched a moment when his bed collapsed.

"I can fix that," George assured him.

Five days later Jake sat on the couch with his arm slung around Hermione while Harry lay with his head in her lap, fast asleep. It had been a long day as the witches and wizards worked to help rebuild the reservation.

"So..." Jake started, "You're almost done here, then?"

"We are."

Jake was quiet a long time then, "Do you remember that day on the beach? The day of the battle."

Hermione nodded.

"I know at the time we...we thought Harry would be gone and you didn't want to go back there alone, but-"

"Jake, I'm not leaving," Hermione replied, smiling up at him.

"Promise?"

"Swear," she laughed. "Harry and I talked about it. He wants to stay for a while too, until he gets things worked out. He'll be going back to England eventually though."

Jake pulled her into a long kiss.

"Can I just make one request?" Jake pleaded.

"Anything," she assured him.

"I know that you and Harry are best friends and all and I don't want to come between that but...do you think you could limit the number of nights you sleep together and cuddle up in bed?"

Hermione laughed a full laugh, the first time he'd ever heard her laugh.

"I mean, I know you said you love me and all but sometimes it gets hard seeing the woman you love in bed with her best friend and-"

"I think we can work something out," Hermione laughed as she lifted Harry's head from her lap and they stood. Taking her hand Jake led the way to his bedroom, where they laid in bed with there arms around each other.

a/n: And done. I had a little inspiration on this one tonight. Please review.


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